Oblation (sacrifice)

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Oblation (from late Latin oblatio = gift, offering) is a freely given gift, ie a sacrifice made by parishioners to a church or to satisfy its needs; Oblations are also gifts or bequests to monasteries and places of pilgrimage and gifts in general for pious purposes such as B. Missions .

In the first Christian centuries, the oblations consisted of food, especially bread and wine , which Christians voluntarily offered for their love supper celebrations and the communion celebrations associated with them , and later only to celebrate the communion. What was left was used to support the poor, orphans and priests. Beginning in the 12th and 13th centuries, the oblations were replaced by other gifts, especially money. For this purpose, a special box (the "Oblationarium") was set up, which continues to exist in a modified form as an offering box, sacrificial box and bell bag , but whose income is only used today for the church and no longer for the clergy. If Oblations were intended for monasteries, they were often received in a special "Oblation House" from a clergyman, the " Oblationarius ". From the abundant oblations in the Middle Ages and their gradual conversion into monetary donations, the mass grants and pride fees probably developed .

In the Catholic Church , oblation also describes the offering or offering of bread and wine by the priest at mass .

Likewise, the gifts offered by laypeople during this part of the measurement (bread, wine, candles, oil, money) and the donations made on other occasions, such as baptism, wedding or funeral, are referred to as oblations.

Pride charges

The so-called pride fees, on the other hand, are not voluntarily offered sacrifices, but fees or remuneration for certain church activities (e.g. baptism, marriage, burial) and documentary acts.

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