Sacraments are a sign of our intimate unity with God, through which we experience God’s saving presence. Seven sacraments are identified. These are baptism, confirmation, Eucharist, reconciliation, anointing of the sick, holy orders and marriage. They are signs and symbols which work together to make God’s love more visible. However, signs and symbols differ.
Whereas a sign points to another reality and means what it signifies, a symbol is a multi dimensional sign that points to another reality and manifests the reality to which it points (Mueller 188)Sacraments are instituted by Christ and entrusted to the Church. They are efficacious signs of grace which God instituted to express the supernatural realities of grace. Divine life is bestowed to us through the sacraments. They sanctify, confer and increase grace. Sacraments use gestures and objects which are constituent elements of the sacrament, such as pouring water in baptism.
Others are secondary such as the signing of the cross, laying-on of hands, wearing of a white garment, carrying of candle in baptism and the assembly that gathers to represent the wider Church
