| altar girl |
a girl who is trained to help the priest during church worship services. |
| baptism |
a Christian ceremony in which an infant, or older person who wishes to join the church, is sprinkled with water or dipped in water. |
| baptize |
to perform the Christian ceremony of dipping in or sprinkling with water as a symbol of becoming a member of the church. [1/2 definitions] |
| belfry |
a tower of a church or other building in which a bell is hung; bell tower. |
| bishop |
a priest or minister who holds a high position in certain Christian churches. A bishop is often in charge of a group of churches. In the Catholic Church, a bishop's rank is above a priest but below an archbishop and a cardinal. [1/2 definitions] |
| cardinal |
a high official of the Roman Catholic Church who is chosen by the Pope and second in rank to him. [1/3 definitions] |
| cathedral |
a large and important church. [1/2 definitions] |
| catholic |
(capitalized) having to do with the Roman Catholic Church. [2 definitions] |
| Christian |
a member of a Christian church. [1/4 definitions] |
| Christmas |
Christmas is a holiday that is celebrated in the religion of Christianity. The holiday is on December 25 every year. It celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ, whose life and teachings began the religion of Christianity. People often celebrate Christmas by going to church, decorating a tree with pretty lights, and giving gifts. Many people who are not Christians also enjoy the traditions of Christmas by putting up a Christmas tree and giving presents. |
| church |
A church is a place of religion. People who are Christians come to a church to praise their God, to think about how they should live, and to pray. A church is also a place where people often have weddings. [2 definitions] |
| confirmation |
a ceremony that makes a person a member of a church or other religious organization. [1/3 definitions] |
| congregation |
the members of a church or other religious organization. [1/2 definitions] |
| deacon |
a member of certain Christian churches who has a set of church duties but is not a member of the clergy. [1/2 definitions] |
| holy |
devoted to the church, to God, or to religion. [1/3 definitions] |
| house |
A house can be a building that is used for a particular type of thing. A church is sometimes called a house of worship. A coffee house is a place where people come to talk and drink coffee. [1/5 definitions] |
| hymnal |
a book of church hymns. |
| Latin |
Latin is a language that was spoken a long time ago in Italy and in the Roman Empire two thousand years ago. The Roman Empire was a large empire that had its first capital in Rome. The Latin language changed a lot over time and eventually developed into more modern languages like Italian, Spanish, and French. Latin stopped being spoken by people in their daily lives, but Latin continued to be used as a church language into modern times. |
| loft |
a balcony in a church or other public building. [1/3 definitions] |
| minister |
A minister is a person who performs religious services, usually in a church. A minister performs regular services on Sundays and also performs special ceremonies such as weddings. [1/3 definitions] |
| mission |
a place, usually in a city, where poor people can go to get help. A mission often provides things like food, clothing, or a place to sleep and is typically operated by a church or other similar organization. [1/5 definitions] |