Meaning of Communion (What is, Concept and Definition) - Meanings

Meaning of Communion (What is, Concept and Definition) - Meanings
Posted on 14-02-2022

Meaning of Communion

What is Communion:

Communion is a term that arises from the alliance between the words common and union. Its essential meaning refers to the participation of two or more entities in something common. This means that the participants share a series of values, ideas, belief systems, or precepts and express it through their treatment or through concrete actions.

For this reason, the word is usually also referred to as an intimate exchange, family treatment, and open communication. Example: "It feels that there is a great communion between them."

Communion is called the action of participating in communion. For example: "If you agree with this idea, you must make it public." "After giving the peace, the Catholics prepare to receive communion." In the latter case, communion acquires the more specific meaning of 'consuming the host'.

The word "communion" is of fundamental importance in religious discourses, particularly in Christianity, where it is used to designate a specific sacrament and the principle of the spiritual community of the faithful. Let's see.

Holy communion or sacrament of communion

In Christian religions, the word communion refers to the sacrament of the Lord's Supper, also called the Eucharist or Holy Communion. In this sacrament, the consecration of bread and wine is carried out, symbols of the body and blood of Jesus Christ, which must be consumed by the faithful as a sign of communion with the teachings of the Messiah.

While for the Catholic Church communion corresponds to one of its seven sacraments, Protestant religions only conceive of two sacraments, among which are baptism and, of course, communion.

In the particular case of the Catholic Churches, the expression first communion is used to refer to the moment in which a person receives this sacrament for the first time. As a general rule, the first communion requires prior training and can only be received from approximately 9 years of age, with rare exceptions.

 

communion of saints

Catholic Christians also believe in the principle of the communion of saints, this is the idea according to which all the deceased who have lived in the grace of God participate in the gifts of eternal life in communion with Jesus, and that these at his time they are in communion with the souls in purgatory and the souls of the living on earth. That is, the communion of saints refers to the union between Jesus Christ and the members of his Church.

 

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