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Is The Meaning Of St Victor's Definition Of A Sacrament

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Hugh of St. Victor's Definition of a Sacrament The definition of what a sacrament is has been debated over the centuries. One such definition comes from Hugh of St. Victor, who piggybacked off of Augustine of Hippo's definition. Hugh's definition is much more clear cut on the parameters of the definition: it must include a physical element, it must bear a likeness to what it signifies, there must be a good reason for it to represent a spiritual reality, and it must be capable of bestowing the benefits that it signifies to the person. Later, Peter Lombard created his own definition and got rid of the physical requirement. This definition falls in line with the Catholic Church's definition of a sacrament, while the Protestant Church only accept the baptism and the eucharist. …show more content…

This is a practice that is done on the first day of Lent, a period of fasting and prayer before Easter. Although, this practice is not seen a an official sacrament by either the Catholic or Protestant churches; it meets all of the requirements for Victor's definition of a sacrament. The physical element is the ashes that come from burned palm branches. The ashes share a likeness to the the dust of the earth. While the priest or church leader administers the ashes onto a person they also say, "Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return". The reason for the ashes is reminder that we are grieving the separation of God and man do to sin. The benefits that come from the spreading of ashes is that the grief we should experience leads to healing, the healing is the remembrance that our sins has been forgiven through the cross, which is symbolized on the forehead in

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