Sacraments strong focus among Roman Catholics

Tuesday, Dec. 10, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.

In Christian theology, marriage is one of the seven sacraments, which are considered to be signs of spiritual grace instituted directly by Jesus Christ.

"We believe Christ established all the sacraments, and we learn this from the gospels, and that he has given the church the power to define these sacraments," said Daniel Walsh, bishop of Las Vegas.

The sacraments recognized by the Catholic Church:

* Baptism, which signifies spiritual rebirth and admits the recipient to the Christian community through the use of water for ritual purification.

* Confirmation, which admits baptized people to full church privileges. Catholics generally go through the ritual of confirmation at age 13.

* Holy Eucharist, also referred to as Holy Communion or the Lord's Supper. This is the ritual performed by a priest during every Mass in which he breaks the bread and eats it, and then drinks a sip of wine, symbolizing the body and blood of Christ, and also symbolizing forgiveness and everlasting life for those who have faith.

* Penance, which is repentance or contrition for sin. Catholics confess sins to a priest and ask for absolution.

* Holy Orders, the ordination of a bishop, priest or deacon in the Catholic Church.

* Matrimony, the union of a man and woman as husband and wife by a priest in a church. Because marriage is considered by Catholics to be a holy sacrament, and also considered to be a life-long bond, those who divorce are not allowed to re-marry in a church without a dispensation from a bishop.

* Extreme Unction, which is also referred to as the anointing of the sick. In this ritual, a priest visits a person who is ill and offers prayers and then anoints the sick person with holy oils in a rite of consecration or healing.