Sacramentals

Sacramentals (Sacramentalia), in the Roman Catholic Church certain acts or ordinances instituted not by Christ, but by the Catholic Church with divine authority. They are believed, in their application to persons and things, to communicate quasi ex opere operato through ordained priests the grace of God, consisting in purification, supernatural revivification and sanctification. The term is thus used to cover the rites of dedication, consecration and benediction, and, closely connected with the last-named, exorcism.