liturgy
/ˈlɪtədʒi
/noun (plural liturgies)
1A form or formulary according to which public religious worship, especially Christian worship, is conducted: the Church of England liturgy [mass noun]: a tradition which found its expression in ritual and liturgy...
- John takes this opportunity to provide his reader with something equally important to Eucharistic liturgy.
- In reality, there has always been growth and development in Orthodox liturgy.
- From then on, Coptic was used only in Christian liturgy.
Synonyms
ritual, worship, service, ceremony, rite, observance, celebration, ordinance, office, sacrament, solemnity, ceremonial;
formulation, form, custom, practice, tradition, rubric
1.1A religious service conducted according to a liturgy: at the conclusion of the liturgy the Bishop presented the certificates...
- The final chapter summarizes and integrates the previous chapters with a study of Genesis that examines themes and suggests a brief liturgy as a conclusion to the study.
- A year earlier, Communion had been denied to two women present at a conciliar liturgy, which attracted much attention in the press.
- Soloists, organists and all musicians are reminded that their primary role is one of service to the liturgy.
1.2 (the Liturgy) The service of the Eucharist in the Orthodox Church.The Catholic Mass is composed of the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist, but when Catholics speak of ‘going to Mass’ it is chiefly the second they have in mind....
- Even now, in our celebration of the Mass, the Liturgy of the Word comes before the Liturgy of the Eucharist.
- I cooked alone, ate alone, and walked alone four times a day up the steep hill to the monastery to participate in the Eucharist and the Liturgy of the Hours.
1.3 (the Liturgy) archaic The Book of Common Prayer.
2(In ancient Greece) a public office or duty performed voluntarily by a rich Athenian.Replacement funds were presumably provided by the Athenian élite through liturgies, impositions of property and ‘semi-voluntary’ subscriptions.
Origin
Mid 16th century: via French or late Latin from Greek leitourgia 'public service, worship of the gods', from leitourgos 'minister', from lēitos 'public' + -ergos 'working'.