viaticum
- noun
- /vaɪˈætɪkəm/
- Formal
:
viático
- The priest administered the viaticum to the dying man, offering him comfort in his final moments.
Examples
-
In the Christian tradition, receiving viaticum is considered an important sacrament for those approaching death.
-
"I celebrated the Mass for the Dying," Johnson said, "and was able to give him Communion, which is called Viaticum when it's given to a dying person."
Blog text (20) -
As her loved ones gathered around her, she received the viaticum, symbolizing her passage into the next life.
Synonyms
17
9.3
A Christian service when people bless and eat bread and drink wine to remember Jesus' Last Supper
16
7.2
A religious ceremony for a person who is dying or has just died
1
8.1
A Christian ceremony when people bless and eat bread and wine to remember Jesus' Last Supper
1
9.9
A religious ceremony like baptism or the Eucharist that gives God's blessing
A Christian ceremony where people eat bread and drink wine to remember Jesus' death and his rising from the dead
Surface Forms
Etymology
The word viaticum is also used in Christian tradition for the holy bread and wine given to a dying person because it comes from Latin via, 'road', and was seen as a spiritual 'provision' for the soul's final 'journey'. So the viaticum is a last rite meant to support someone as they face death.