Rite

A rite is an established, ceremonious, usually religious act.

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Rites fall into three major categories:

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• rites of passage, generally changing an individual's social status, such as marriage, Christian baptism, or graduation.
• rites of worship, where a community comes together to worship, such as Jewish synagogue or Christian Mass
• rites of personal devotion, where an individual worships, including prayer and pilgrimages such as the Muslim Haj.

Within Christianity it can have a much more specific meaning -- in this sense a rite is a particular liturgy. For example, in the Roman Catholic faith, the sacrament now called the Anointing of the Sick has traditionally been known as the last rites, being often performed on someone who is dying.

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In Christian usage, the term also refers to a body of liturgical tradition usually emanating from a specific center. Examples include the Roman or Latin Rite, the Byzantine Rite, and the Syriac Rite. Such rites may include various sub-rites. For example, the Byzantine Rite has Greek, Russian, and other ethnically-based variants. (See Christian liturgy.)

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Freemasonry in North America is divided into the Scottish Rite and the York Rite.

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Rite: See also ►



 

Christianity: Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life, crucifixtion, resurection and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as presented in the New Testament writings of his early followers. It is the world's largest religion, with an estimated 2.1 billion adherents, or about one-third of the total worl...

Liturgy: From the Greek word λειτουργια, which can be transliterated as "leitourgia," meaning "the work of the people," a liturgy comprises a prescribed religious ceremony, according to the traditions of a particular religion; it may refer to, or i...

Roman Catholic: REDIRECT Catholic Church...




Rite related Images and Photos (experimental)

Rite, The (DVD)	Rite, The (Blu-ray)	The Rite	Rite of Summer
Ethiopian Death Rite	Star Wars: Rite of Passage Graphic Novel	Sketch for "The Rite of Spring" by Igor Stravinsky 1913