were that the priest must be circumcised. Many priests also wouldn’t wear wool or any animal products because it
was seen as unclean. PRIESTS also would bathe 3 to 4 times a day in scared pools, and shave of all of their body
hair. Although Pharaohs were seen as gods themselves, in Egyptian societies priests are a stand in for Pharaohs or
successor to the throne if anything were to ever happen to the Pharaoh
Although many affiliate priests with the
Roman Catholic Church
, over time there have been many divisions in the
church which have lead to numerous Protestant and orthodox churches. Although some are “in communion with the
pope” they can be considered separate religions due to minor differences in beliefs. These churches in many cases
still have priests or priestesses due to their catholic roots, examples of these are certain
Protestant
,
Anglican
and
Episcopalian
, and Orthodox churches. The first division of Christianity was between the East and the West in 1054 due
to a rivalry between Rome and Constantinople
[157]
. The
Eastern Orthodox
churches only recognize the canons of the
seven ecumenical councils as binding for faith, and rejected doctrines that were later added in the West. The next
major division of the church was in the early 16th century when many began to question the power of the Catholic
Church. During that time the
Protestant Reformation
occurred and the
Lutheran
and
Anglican
churches were
formed
[158]
. Even though these churches are separate from the Catholic Church many continue to have priests, and in
some cases allow for women priestesses.
Some of the most widely practiced rituals of
Catholicism
are:
•
Baptism
- The first sacrament of Christian initiation, the basis for all the other sacraments. Baptism is the "for the
forgiveness of sins” usually performed "in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit". Baptism is
performed at infancy in Catholicism to wash away original sin, whereas other Christians believe that a person should
choose to get baptized when they want to claim Christianity as their own faith and can understand the implications.
Young men and women who belong to the Catholic Church must go through a confirmation process usually during
their 16th or 17th year prior to confirmation as a full member into the church.
•
Penance
- (also called Confession and Reconciliation)- The first of the two sacraments of healing. It is also called
the sacrament of conversion, of forgiveness, and of absolution. The first reconciliation of a Catholic must take place
before receiving the Eucharist. To purely receive the body and blood of Christ one must be free of mortal sin.
•
Eucharist
- The third sacrament of Christian initiation by which the faithful receive their ultimate "daily bread", also
known as first communion if issued for the first time. Participants partaking of bread and sacramental wine to
symbolize the body and the blood as spoken of in the last supper. Catholics, differing from other Christians, believe
that the Eucharist received during communion is, not solely symbolic but, the actual blood and body of Christ.
