Lucerna Memoriae
Sacred signs instituted by the Church to sanctify the circumstances of daily life.
Sacramentals are sacred signs instituted by the Church which bear a certain resemblance to the sacraments. They do not confer grace of themselves as the sacraments do, but by the prayer of the Church and the devotion of the one who uses them, they dispose the faithful to receive grace and sanctify various occasions in life. They include blessings, consecrated objects, and pious practices that draw the soul nearer to God and afford protection against the snares of the devil.
"The Church, the great sacrament of Jesus Christ, the depository and channel of all His graces, has extended her motherly solicitude to the sanctification of the common things of daily life by means of the sacramentals."
Scripture
"And God wrought by the hand of Paul more than common miracles. So that even there were brought from his body to the sick, handkerchiefs and aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the wicked spirits went out of them." — Acts 19:11–12
"And the Lord said to Moses: Take unto thee spices … and thou shalt make the holy anointing oil, a holy ointment." — Exodus 30:22–25
Holy water is natural water blessed by a priest according to the prayers of the Church. It is the most common and widely used of all sacramentals. The faithful use it to bless themselves upon entering a church, to sprinkle in their homes, and to ward off temptation and the influence of evil spirits. It recalls the waters of Baptism and stirs up in the soul acts of faith, hope, and repentance.
Use: Making the Sign of the Cross upon entering a church, sprinkling persons and places, the Asperges before Solemn Mass, and blessing of homes, fields, and objects.
Exorcised Water
A distinction must be made between ordinary holy water and exorcised water. Ordinary holy water is blessed with a shorter rite and is the water commonly found in fonts at the entrance of churches. Exorcised water, by contrast, is water blessed according to the longer and more solemn rite of the Rituale Romanum, which includes specific prayers of exorcism commanding all evil spirits to depart from the water. This water is mingled with exorcised salt and carries a particular efficacy against diabolical influence. It is the form traditionally recommended for use in the home, for blessing the sick, and in all situations where extraordinary spiritual protection is sought.
Scripture
"And he shall take holy water in an earthen vessel, and he shall cast a little earth of the pavement of the tabernacle into it." — Numbers 5:17
"Thou shalt sprinkle me with hyssop, and I shall be cleansed: thou shalt wash me, and I shall be made whiter than snow." — Psalm 50:9
"And I will pour upon you clean water, and you shall be cleansed from all your filthiness, and I will cleanse you from all your idols." — Ezechiel 36:25
Blessed oil is olive oil (or other suitable oil) blessed by a priest or bishop for devotional use. It is distinct from the sacred oils used in the sacraments — the Oil of Catechumens, the Oil of the Sick, and Sacred Chrism — which are consecrated by the bishop at the Chrism Mass. As a sacramental, blessed oil is used by the faithful to anoint themselves or the sick with faith and devotion, invoking God's mercy, healing, and protection. It has been employed by Christians from the earliest centuries in imitation of the Apostles, who "anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them."
Use: Devout anointing of the sick, application to the forehead or afflicted parts of the body with prayer, and blessing of persons and places. It is not a substitute for the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick.
Scripture
"And they cast out many devils, and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them." — S. Mark 6:13
"Is any man sick among you? Let him bring in the priests of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord." — S. James 5:14
"Thou hast anointed my head with oil; and my chalice which inebriateth me, how goodly is it!" — Psalm 22:5
Blessed salt is common salt that has been blessed by a priest according to the rites of the Church. Salt has been a symbol of preservation, purification, and covenant since ancient times. In the spiritual life it is used to repel evil influences, to bless homes and thresholds, and to season food with a prayer for God's protection. It is traditionally mixed with holy water in the solemn blessing of water according to the Rituale Romanum.
Use: Added to holy water during its blessing, sprinkled at doorways and in rooms, placed on the tongue of catechumens in the traditional baptismal rite, and consumed in small quantities as a sacramental of protection.
Exorcised Salt
As with holy water, a distinction exists between ordinary blessed salt and exorcised salt. Exorcised salt is blessed with the full exorcism prayers of the Rituale Romanum, in which the priest specifically commands all power of the enemy and every assault of the devil to be driven from the salt. This exorcised salt is then typically combined with exorcised water to produce the most efficacious form of holy water. On its own, exorcised salt is regarded as a powerful sacramental against diabolical activity and is recommended for use in the home, around property, and in spiritual warfare.
Scripture
"You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt lose its savour, wherewith shall it be salted?" — S. Matthew 5:13
"Have salt in you, and have peace among you." — S. Mark 9:49
"And he said: Bring me a new vessel, and put salt into it. And they brought it to him. And he went out to the spring of the waters, and cast the salt into it, and said: Thus saith the Lord: I have healed these waters, and there shall be no more in them death or barrenness." — 4 Kings 2:20–21
The Most Holy Rosary is at once a sacramental object and a method of prayer, consisting of the meditation upon fifteen mysteries of the life, death, and glory of Our Lord and His Blessed Mother, accompanied by the recitation of the Our Father, ten Hail Marys, and the Glory Be for each mystery. Tradition ascribes its institution to St. Dominic, who received it from the Blessed Virgin herself as a weapon against heresy. Countless popes have commended it as the most powerful prayer after the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, and innumerable graces and miracles have been attributed to its devout recitation.
The Object: A blessed rosary consists of five decades of beads (each decade containing one larger bead and ten smaller beads), joined to a short chain bearing a crucifix, a large bead, and three small beads. When blessed by a priest, the rosary becomes a sacramental, and indulgences are attached to its devout use.
Promises of Our Lady
Our Lady has attached extraordinary promises to the faithful recitation of the Rosary, as revealed to St. Dominic and Blessed Alan de la Roche, among which: special protection and abundant graces, deliverance from Purgatory, high degrees of glory in Heaven, and the assurance that the devout reciter shall not perish.
Scripture
"And the angel being come in, said unto her: Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women." — S. Luke 1:28
"And Mary said: My soul doth magnify the Lord. And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour." — S. Luke 1:46–47
"And when he had opened the book, the four living creatures, and the four and twenty ancients fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints." — Apocalypse 5:8
The Brown Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel is a sacramental consisting of two small pieces of brown wool cloth joined by strings and worn over the shoulders, one piece resting on the chest and the other on the back. It is the external sign of consecration to the Blessed Virgin Mary under her title of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. On July 16, 1251, Our Lady appeared to St. Simon Stock, Superior General of the Carmelite Order, and presented him with the Scapular, saying: "Whosoever dies wearing this scapular shall not suffer eternal fire."
Enrollment: A priest or authorized minister must invest the wearer in the Scapular for the first time using the prescribed blessing. Once enrolled, one may replace the Scapular as needed without a new blessing.
The Sabbatine Privilege
According to a tradition confirmed by several popes, Our Lady promised that she would deliver from Purgatory on the Saturday after their death those who wore the Brown Scapular, observed chastity according to their state in life, and recited the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin (or, with a commutation, the daily Rosary). This is known as the Sabbatine Privilege.
Scripture
"And I will put enmities between thee and the woman, and thy seed and her seed: she shall crush thy head, and thou shalt lie in wait for her heel." — Genesis 3:15
"Who is she that cometh forth as the morning rising, fair as the moon, bright as the sun, terrible as an army set in array?" — Canticle of Canticles 6:9
The Green Scapular, properly called the Scapular of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, was revealed by the Blessed Virgin to Sister Justine Bisqueyburu of the Daughters of Charity in 1840. Unlike other scapulars, it does not require formal enrollment or investiture — it need only be blessed by a priest. It may be given to anyone, including non-Catholics and those who are ill or in spiritual danger. It is especially associated with the conversion of sinners and the return of lapsed Catholics to the Faith.
Use: The Green Scapular may be worn, carried, or placed near the person for whom conversion or healing is sought. The daily prayer associated with it is: "Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us now and at the hour of our death."
Efficacy
Many extraordinary conversions and healings have been attributed to the Green Scapular. Its power depends upon the faith with which it is used and the daily recitation of the accompanying prayer, whether by the person who carries it or by another who places it near the intended beneficiary.
The Medal of St. Benedict is one of the oldest and most honoured sacramentals in the Church. It bears the image of St. Benedict of Nursia, the patriarch of Western monasticism, holding a cross and the Holy Rule. On the reverse is the Cross of St. Benedict, surrounded by the initials of a powerful Latin prayer of exorcism: Vade retro Satana! Nunquam suade mihi vana! Sunt mala quae libas. Ipse venena bibas! ("Begone, Satan! Never tempt me with your vanities! What you offer me is evil. Drink the poison yourself!")
Use: Worn on the person, affixed to the walls of homes, placed in foundations of buildings, attached to rosaries and crucifixes, or carried as a protection against evil. It must be blessed by a priest, ideally a Benedictine priest, to receive its full sacramental efficacy.
Spiritual Effects
The Medal of St. Benedict is a prayer for protection against the assaults of the devil, a safeguard against temptation, an aid in the hour of death, and a means of obtaining the intercession of the great patriarch. It has been associated with numerous miracles of protection, healing, and deliverance from evil. Pope Benedict XIV approved it in 1742 and attached indulgences to its devout use.
Scripture
"In my name they shall cast out devils." — S. Mark 16:17
"Behold, I have given you power to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and upon all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall hurt you." — S. Luke 10:19
The Miraculous Medal, originally known as the Medal of the Immaculate Conception, was revealed by the Blessed Virgin Mary to St. Catherine Labouré, a Daughter of Charity, during apparitions in the chapel at Rue du Bac, Paris, in 1830. Our Lady appeared standing upon a globe, crushing the serpent beneath her feet, with rays of light streaming from her hands, and the words: "O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee." She instructed that a medal be struck according to this image, promising that all who wore it with confidence would receive great graces.
Use: Worn about the neck on a chain or cord after being blessed by a priest. The daily invocation "O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee" is recommended.
Graces
So many and so striking were the conversions, cures, and protections attributed to the medal that it quickly became known as the "Miraculous Medal." Among the most famous was the conversion of Alphonse Ratisbonne, a hostile unbeliever, who experienced a vision of Our Lady and immediately embraced the Catholic Faith after being given the medal.
Scripture
"And a great sign appeared in heaven: A woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars." — Apocalypse 12:1
"And I will put enmities between thee and the woman, and thy seed and her seed: she shall crush thy head." — Genesis 3:15
The crucifix — the image of Our Lord Jesus Christ affixed to the Cross — is the most sacred and venerable of all Christian signs. It is not merely a symbol but a sacramental that places before the eyes of the faithful the price of their redemption and the depth of God's love. A blessed crucifix is a powerful weapon against the devil, who flees from the image of the Crucified. Every Catholic home, and indeed every room, ought to be adorned with the crucifix, and the faithful are encouraged to carry one upon their person.
Use: Displayed prominently in the home (especially over doorways and in bedrooms), held during prayer, kissed in acts of devotion, presented to the dying, and used in blessings and exorcisms. A plenary indulgence may be gained at the hour of death by one who kisses a blessed crucifix and accepts death from the hand of God.
Scripture
"But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ; by whom the world is crucified to me, and I to the world." — Galatians 6:14
"And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him, may not perish, but may have life everlasting." — S. John 3:14–15
"For the word of the cross, to them indeed that perish, is foolishness; but to them that are saved, that is to us, it is the power of God." — 1 Corinthians 1:18
Blessed candles are candles — traditionally of beeswax — that have been blessed by a priest for devotional use. They signify Christ, the Light of the World, and their burning is an act of faith, a prayer made visible. The most solemn blessing of candles occurs on the Feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Candlemas, February 2nd), when candles are blessed and carried in procession to commemorate the Presentation of the Infant Jesus in the Temple as "a light to the revelation of the Gentiles."
Use: Lit during prayer, during storms and times of danger, at the bedside of the dying, and during the reception of the sacraments in the home. Blessed candles are also used at the altar during Holy Mass and before images of the saints.
Scripture
"I am the light of the world: he that followeth me, walketh not in darkness, but shall have the light of life." — S. John 8:12
"A light to the revelation of the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel." — S. Luke 2:32
"So let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven." — S. Matthew 5:16
Relics are the sacred remains of the saints or objects intimately associated with them, venerated by the faithful as memorials of those who, having lived and died in the grace of Christ, now reign with Him in glory. The Church distinguishes three classes: first-class relics — the bodies or fragments of the bodies of saints; second-class relics — objects owned or used by a saint during life; and third-class relics — objects that have been touched to a first-class relic. The veneration of relics is not idolatry but a recognition of the sanctifying work of the Holy Ghost in the members of Christ's Body.
Use: Enclosed in altars (as required by liturgical law for the celebration of Mass), worn in reliquaries, venerated by the faithful, and applied with faith to the sick and suffering. Every consecrated altar contains the relics of at least one martyr.
Scripture
"And God wrought by the hand of Paul more than common miracles. So that even there were brought from his body to the sick, handkerchiefs and aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the wicked spirits went out of them." — Acts 19:11–12
"And it came to pass as some were burying a man, … they cast the body into the sepulchre of Eliseus. And when it had touched the bones of Eliseus, the man came to life, and stood upon his feet." — 4 Kings 13:21
"Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints." — Psalm 115:15
Holy images, icons, and statues are sacred representations of Our Lord, the Blessed Virgin Mary, the angels, and the saints, blessed by a priest and set before the faithful as aids to devotion. The Second Council of Nicaea (787 A.D.) solemnly defined that the veneration of sacred images is lawful and salutary, declaring that "the honour which is paid to the image passes on to that which the image represents," and condemning as heretical the iconoclast destruction of holy images. Catholics do not worship images — worship belongs to God alone — but venerate them as windows into the heavenly realities they depict.
Use: Displayed in churches, homes, and places of work; carried in processions; venerated by the faithful with prayers, candles, and incense; and used as focal points for meditation and devotion. Sacred images teach the faithful, especially children and the unlettered, the truths of the Faith and the examples of the saints.
Scripture
"And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: … Thou shalt make also two cherubims of beaten gold, on the two sides of the oracle." — Exodus 25:1, 18
"And the Lord said to him: I have heard thy prayer … I have sanctified this house, which thou hast built, to put my name there for ever, and my eyes and my heart shall be there always." — 3 Kings 9:3
"Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature." — Colossians 1:15
The sacramentals, instituted by the Church, dispose the faithful to receive grace and sanctify the circumstances of daily life. They bear a certain resemblance to the sacraments but do not confer grace of themselves — rather, by the prayer of the Church and the devotion of the faithful, they prepare the soul for the reception of grace. All Scripture quotations are from the Douay-Rheims translation.
Sources
Second Council of Nicaea (787 A.D.), Decree on Sacred Images.
Rituale Romanum, Blessings of Water, Salt, Oil, and Sacramentals.
Douay-Rheims Bible (1899 Challoner revision).
Related Reading
The Sacraments — the seven channels of grace instituted by Christ for the sanctification of souls.
Devotions — the Rosary, the Stations of the Cross, the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, and other prayers of the faithful.
Prayers — the essential prayers of the Catholic life.
Collected for the faithful of The Layman's Lantern.
Drawn from Sacred Scripture, Sacred Tradition, and the teaching authority of the Church.
