Rite (Meaning and Explanation)

We explain what a rite is, its origin, function and the characteristics of each type of rite. Also, how is it different from a ritual.

What is a ritual?

A rite (sometimes called a ritual) It is a ceremony that is carried out in a rigid and repeated manner that is, always in the same way although in different years or periods of time, and that has commemorative, religious, symbolic or sociopolitical purposes. Generally, rites are inscribed in (and dictated by) a specific church or religious tradition.

Rituals usually consist of the expression of symbolic or narrative content, usually of mythological or religious origin. As tradition dictates, they can be carried out through different ritual actions, within the framework of festivities, celebrations or specific days, and often at the hands of priests or people invested with a certain social or mystical authority.

The French anthropologist Émile Durkheim (1858-1917) defined them as “practice relating to sacred things”, since usually serve to strengthen certain taboos or certain ideas of the transcendent in society and the pure. In fact, rituals are not necessarily linked to a religious practice, but can be part of a social and cultural tradition, but their ultimate meaning is always inscribed in a vision of society and existence.

Types of ritual

Rituals can be classified, according to the American anthropologist Ronald L. Grimes (1943-), into six categories:

Of ritualization. They are those that link the biological existence of the individual with the environment, in such a way that they facilitate the connection between individuals and establish the game guidelines for community existence. They are not exclusive to humans: animals have mating rites, for example, which are carried out to convince the female to allow intercourse and reproduction.
Of decorum. They are those that define the protocol between two human individuals, establishing the “correct” or “respectful” way of interacting, since they regulate or shape the interaction. This includes linguistic, corporal and spatial formulas, such as shaking hands when meeting someone, or greeting with a kiss on the cheek when you trust someone.
Of ceremony. Ceremonies are large-scale events linked to power organizations, such as churches or political institutions, in which a leader always acts as officiant. They encompass, therefore, a group of people and serve to strengthen common ties or lead them towards the same transcendent objective.
of magic. As their name suggests, these are pragmatic rites with supposedly useful purposes, that is, they are carried out in the hope of satisfying a desire. It is these types of rites that we think of when we see witchcraft or divination ceremonies, or when we pray to God to save us from danger.
Celebratory. Celebrations are rites that openly or discreetly break with the formality of ceremonies, and whose purpose is celebration, bonding between attendees and the construction of a common sense of existence. Carnivals, birthdays, end-of-year parties, are examples of this.
Of liturgy. The most complex of rites occur when people feel the urge to connect with the divine, that is, to satisfy a cosmic need. This has to do with spiritual consciousness, that is, it does not have any practical or immediate purpose, but simply the sense of connection with something greater, which gives life meaning.

Difference between rite and ritual

Although in certain areas, generally informal or colloquial, “rite” and “ritual” are often used as synonyms, they really do not mean the same thing.

In a strict sense, the term “rite” comes from the Latin rituals with which the Romans named their religious ceremonies, refers to traditions that are rigidly reiterated in a symbolic or religious system. For its part, “ritual” is everything that refers to the rite and the word comes from Latin ritualistranslatable as “relating to religious activities.”

This distinction can be stated in the following way: each of the ceremonies contemplated by a cultural tradition are rites, and on the other hand Rituals are the specific actions that are carried out to fulfill them. That is to say: the rites are the path dictated by tradition, and the rituals are the steps taken to travel it.