Eucharist, meaning “thanksgiving,” names the central rite of the Christian tradition in which Christians share the sanctified bread and wine, giving thanks to God, as Jesus did in sharing such a meal with his disciples. This rite is also called holy communion, the Lord’s supper.

Peter was, according to the Bible, one of the disciples of Christ, a fisherman called to follow Jesus during his earthly ministry. He was the disciple called “the rock,” upon whose strength Jesus said he would build his church. Peter is said to have been crucified in Rome, where St. Peter’s Basilica is at the heart of the Roman Catholic Vatican complex.

The term apostolic refers to the early Christian era, with traditions of ministry and authority derived from the apostles, the immediate disciples of Jesus.

The fifth book of the Humash or Five Books of Moses, Deuteronomy (or Dvarim in Hebrew, meaning ‘Words’) is composed of the final speech of Moses’ life, followed by the narration of his death. Deuteronomy contains many retellings of events and laws that appear earlier in the Torah, most notably the Ten Commandments.

The Lord’s Prayer is the prayer of praise, thanksgiving, and repentance that Jesus taught his disciples; it has become the most widely known prayer in the Christian world.

Pope Paul VI (1897-1978) was elected as successor to Pope John XXIII who died in 1963, right in the middle of the Second Vatican Council. Thus, Pope Paul VI was the overseer of the second, third, and fourth sessions of Vatican II. He was the first modern pope to travel widely (to Israel, India, the U.S., Uganda, Columbia, and East Asia) and the first pope ever to travel by air. He appointed several cardinals from churches in non-European countries. He also issued the controversial encyclical Humanae Vitae, which reaffirmed the Catholic Church’s ban on artificial contraception.

The Amish are Protestant Christians of Anabaptist origin, beginning in Europe in the late 16th century with commitment to the adult “believer’s” baptism and to pacifism. In the U.S., the Amish in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and other parts of the Midwest have maintained a strong sense of community and continue to insist on simplicity, rejecting the use of modern technology.

Crèche—“crib” in French—is the Christmas season display of the birth-scene of Jesus. It may be simple or elaborate, but always includes the parents, Joseph and Mary, and the crib—a manger for the feeding of cattle in a stable. In some folk traditions, the representation of the baby Jesus is added to the crib only on Christmas Eve.

A Kingdom Hall is the name the Jehovah’s Witnesses give to their place of worship.

Our Lady of Guadalupe is Mary who is said to have appeared as an Indian woman to an Indian peasant named Juan Diego in 1531. Her image—imprinted on his cloak—is considered confirmation of her miraculous appearance. It hangs above the altar in her great basilica in Mexico City. She has become a symbol of Mexican national identity in the United States as well as Mexico.

The Second Vatican Council was an historic council of Roman Catholic renewal called by Pope John XXIII to “open the windows” of the Church to the world of the 20th century. Meeting in Rome over the course of three years from 1962-65, the Council formulated major statements on the nature of the Church, its role in the modern world, its relation to other Christian churches, and its relation to non-Christian religions.

In the Christian tradition, confession is the public or private acknowledgment of sin, which is said to separate human beings from God and from one another.

(also: Jesus Christ; Christ) Jesus is the historical figure considered by Christians to be the Christ, the Messiah, whose life and teachings, death and resurrection give clear evidence of God’s love for humankind. Jesus was born shortly before the death of Herod the Great (d. 4 BCE) and died by crucifixion some thirty years later. Christians have always had many Christologies, or ways of articulating their understanding of Jesus Christ. Jesus is also understood by Muslims to be one of God’s prophets.

The Trinity is the Christian doctrine of the three natures of the One God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The language of the Trinity bespeaks the complexity of God, who can be spoken of as the transcendent creator, the one who accompanies humanity as the Christ, and the one who is intimate and ever-present as Holy Spirit.

Christianity is the religious tradition of Christians: those who confesses faith in Jesus Christ, follow the path Christ taught, and gather together in the community of the church.