Liturgy

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈlɪtəd͡ʒi/

Definitions

1. A prescribed form of religious service or ritual performed in a church or place of worship
2. a form of religious ceremony or worship consisting of standardized prayers, readings, and rituals prescribed for communal devotion
3. an established system of religious rites, prayers, and ceremonial acts performed according to formal procedures in worship

Etymology: The Greek word "leitourgia" originally meant a public service performed at the community's expense, not a religious ritual at all. In Athens, wealthy citizens were expected to pay for things like staging theatrical productions or equipping warships, and these obligations were called leitourgiai. The word combines "laos," meaning "people," with "ergon," meaning "work," so the sense was literally the work done for the people. The sacred meaning came later, when Greek-speaking Christians used the word for the public rites of the Church. The Latin "liturgia" carried that religious sense into Western Christianity, and Middle French "liturgie" passed it on, which is how English received it. The word's ancient meaning thus shifted from civic duty paid in money to the formal worship of a congregation.

Synonyms: ritual, service, ceremony