Religion

Definition of Catholic

The Greek term katholikós, which came into late Latin as catholĭcus and then into Spanish as catholic, can be translated as "universal." This adjective, which refers to that which is common or encompasses everyone, was used by the Church of Rome to refer to itself. That is why the notion of Catholic is used […]

Definition of archbishop

An archbishop is a bishop who heads a diocese relevant due to its history or its magnitude. To know what an archbishop is, therefore, we have to understand what a bishop is and what a diocese is. A diocese is a territory that is under the leadership of a bishop, who is precisely […]

Definition of apocalypse

Apocalypse is a concept that refers to the end or collapse of the world. The term comes from the late Latin apocalypsis, in turn derived from the Greek apokálypsis. For example: “If human beings continue acting this way, the apocalypse awaits us”, “When the apocalypse comes, I want to be at peace with myself and with my neighbors”, […]

Definition of liturgical year

Before entering fully into the clarification of the meaning of the term liturgical year, it is essential to know the etymological origin of the two words that give it shape: -Year comes from Latin, exactly from "annus", which has the same meaning as in Castilian. -Liturgical, on the other hand, is a term of origin […]

Definition of anathema

The etymology of anathema takes us to a word from the Greek language that can be translated as "curse" or "offering", according to the context. The term, thus, has several uses. The first meaning mentioned by the Royal Spanish Academy (RAE) in its dictionary refers to excommunication: the act that consists of […]

Definition of anchorite

An anchorite is an individual who resides in an isolated area, dedicated to penance and meditation. A Greek word came to medieval Latin as anachoreta, which later led, in our language, to the aforementioned term. We can determine that this word is the result of the sum of several clearly delimited components: The prefix ana-, […]

Definition of altar

An altar is an object or structure that is elevated and that allows the development of a religious ceremony, according to the first meaning mentioned in the dictionary of the Royal Spanish Academy (RAE). The idea of ​​an altar can also refer to the altar, a rock that has been consecrated. Regarding the etymological origin, we can indicate […]

Definition of advocacy

Invocation is the protection, protection and defense of a people or an entity by a saint or a divinity. The etymology of the term takes us to the Latin word advocatĭo. For example: “The founder of the city placed the town under the patronage of San Marcos”, “This school is protected […]

Definition of acolyte

Acolyte is a concept that is used in the field of the Catholic religion. This is the name given to the individual who, without having clerical orders, can act in extraordinary situations as a minister, administering the Eucharist and performing functions at the altar. The mission of the acolyte is to collaborate with the priest or deacon in the mass […]

Definition of abomination

Abomination is the act and consequence of abomination. This verb, for its part, refers to hating or detesting something. Abomination is also that which, due to its characteristics, is abominable. For example: "The court's ruling is an abomination: we are going to appeal to reverse the situation", "Pretending the elimination of a people based on their religion [...]