2.5 Forms of popular piety Flashcards
What’s popular piety
Popular piety is non-liturgical worship. They “extend the liturgical life of the Church, but do not replace it.”
Examples of popular piety
The rosary used in private prayer or in church, it is 5 decades of the Hail Mary, each
focusing on the ‘mysteries of the rosary;’ key events in Jesus’ life. Not really used by other
Christians as Mary is not seen as an intercessor.
• Stations of the cross; 14 scenes around the church that honour the suffering and death of
Christ. Unites Catholics with early Christians who made pilgrimage to these sites in
Jerusalem and reminds them that Christ shares in their suffering. Most protestants do not
use them but do meditate on His suffering.
• Eucharistic adoration; exposure of the Eucharist in the monstrance for silent adoration.
Unites them with the apostles who took watch in the garden of Gethsemane. Does not
happen in Protestant Churches as most do not believe in transubstantiation.
