Branches of the church differ on which practices are recognized as sacraments. The Roman Catholic Church identifies seven sacraments: (1) baptism, (2) communion (also called Eucharist, from the Greek word for giving thanks), (3) penance and reconciliation, (4) confirmation, (5) marriage, (6) holy orders (or ordination), and (7) anointing of the sick (the sacrament that used to be called last rites or extreme unction). The Eastern Orthodox Church recognizes these same sacraments without limiting the list to seven in number. Protestant churches, during and after the Reformation, moved to
...more
