Sacred Items

          According to Durkheim sacred refers to things set apart by man including religious beliefs, rites, duties or anything socially defined as requiring special religious treatment. The sacred has extra-ordinary, supernatural qualities and can usually be approached only through some form of ritual such as prayer, incantation or ceremonial cleansing (Durkheim). Almost anything can be sacred. For example a paper, blanket, cup, animal, or even a plant. These are sacred only because some community has marked them a sacred.
          An example of an object that is sacred in the Catholic religion is the Eucharist. The Eucharist is a sacred item in the Catholic community but in other people's life they just see it as bread and wine. What makes it scared is that it is blessed by a priest and once this happens it represent the body and blood of Christ. A Chalis is also sacred. The Chalice holds the wine that represents the blood of Christ. A Paten is the bowl that hold the Eucharist which is the bread that represents the body of Christ (M. Paul). These items are used during mass along with many other sacred items.

          While in the Catholic Church almost everything you see is considered sacred from the Altar to the paintings and statues. The altar is both table and sacrificial stone, and is also seen as a “symbol of Christ” (M. Paul). The most dominant symbol in the sanctuary, the focal point is the altar, the table of the Eucharist, where Mass is celebrated and the bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Christ.  The Bishop blessed the altar and anointed it with sacred chrism, for that reason it is compared to a person, something sacred and special (M. Paul). While talking to people in the catholic community I asked them what sacred item they valued the most or which item they used the most. The majority of answer I received was the Rosary. The catholic rosary represents a devotion in honor of the Virgin Mary. It consists of a set number of specific prayers. The rosary prayers are used in time of healing, meditation, and mourning. The Holy Rosary, as it is sometimes called, means so much to Catholics because it provides an easy way to link the faithful to Jesus and Mary in daily life. 

          Zen Buddhism does not have as many sacred items as the Catholic religion does. The essence of Zen is attempting to understand the meaning of life directly, without being misled by logical thought or language (ZHANG). Zen Buddhism is more about connecting with one’s mind and body. Sitting meditation is very important to them. A sacred item in Zen Buddhism is of course Buddha. There are many different poses that Buddha statues can be placed in but the one used most in Zen Buddhism is the meditation Buddha. In this pose, the Buddha is shown with both hands in the lap, face up, and the legs are crossed (Grenard). Another item that could be considered sacred is the Koan. A Koan is a statement or question asked to the student. The Zen Master uses the Koan to stimulate the student to come to the truth of Zen (Grenard). Although Zen Buddhism sacred items are not as apparent as the Catholic sacred items it does not take away from the meaning of the religion. Being able to connect with God or yourself and find inner peace is what is important. Each religion has a different ways to connect with their God but they are both reaching the same goal even if it is in a different way.

Sources cited 

Durkheim_Sacred_Profane.pdf

Grenard, J. L. (2008). The Phenomenology of Koan Meditation in Zen Buddhism. Journal Of Phenomenological Psychology, 39(2), 151-188. doi:10.1163/156916208X338774
M.Paul, personal communication, March, 20 2015

ZHANG, P. (2014). ZEN MUSINGS. ETC: A Review Of General Semantics, 71(4), 292-300.