last rites
"Last rites" are a set of religious rituals intended to prepare a person's soul for the afterlife, commonly performed in Christian traditions.
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Definition
B2Christianity
(religious, formal)A religious ceremony performed by a priest for someone near death, to provide spiritual comfort and prepare their soul for the afterlife.
Example
- The priest administered the last rites to the dying man to offer him peace and forgiveness.
B2Catholicism
(religious, formal)The sacraments of Anointing of the Sick, Penance, and Viaticum given to a dying person.
Example
- The family gathered as the priest performed the last rites, including the anointing and final communion.
Similar
Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "last rites":
deathbed conversiondeath rattlein extremislast hurrahpost obitum