The American Church Dictionary and Cyclopedia

by William James Miller

Passion Sunday.—The Fifth Sunday in Lent is so called because on this day our Lord began to make open prediction of His sufferings, and in her round of worship the Church begins the solemn commemoration of His Passion and Death. (See LENT, SUNDAYS IN.)

Passion Tide.—The name given to the last two weeks of Lent beginning with the Fifth Sunday in Lent, during which our Lord's Passion and Death are commemorated.

Passion Week.—The week before Holy Week. This name should not be applied to the last week of Lent, which is properly called Holy Week, or as called by the primitive Christians, the "Great Week."

Pastor.—A Latin word meaning Shepherd. Christ having called Himself the Good Shepherd, or Good Pastor, the name has been assumed for His Ministers. They bear the same relation to the Flock over which they are placed. A Pastor is a Teacher, Guide, Exemplar, Friend, Administrator. He deals with {208} individuals. His intercourse is personal. His offices are for all and for each. Pastorship includes many and varied offices,—Minister, Rector, Preacher, Priest, but all offices and all labors have reference to men's spiritual interests. He who is a Pastor has the cure, i. e., care, charge of men's souls. Pastorship, therefore, is a very sacred as well as a very responsible office. It is well to note that a minister is not a Pastor simply because he is ordained; besides the Divine call and Divine appointment in ordination, there is also the call from the people to define that number of souls over which the charge is to be exercised. This is brought out in the "Office of Institution of Ministers into Parishes or Churches," to be found in the Prayer-book.

Pastoral Letter.—A letter issued by the Rector of a Parish, or by the Bishop of the Diocese on some subject affecting the welfare of the Church in its devotions or work. Perhaps the most important of such Pastoral Letters is that which is issued by the House of Bishops at the close of each General Convention, touching on grave questions of the day or on the prospects of the Church throughout the nation, and which is required by canon to be read in all the churches.

Pastoral Staff.—A staff used by a Bishop, as an ensign of his office, at all public Episcopal Ministrations. It is generally borne by his chaplain. The Pastoral Staff is made in the shape of a shepherd's crook and is frequently given to the Bishop at his consecration, to denote that he is then constituted a shepherd over the Flock of Christ. This use of the {209} Pastoral Staff comes down to us from the most ancient times.

Paten.—The plate, made of precious metal, on which the Bread is consecrated at the Holy Communion and from which it is administered to the communicants. When properly made, the lower part of the Paten will fit into or over the edge of the chalice. The word is derived from the Latin, Patena or the Greek, Patane, meaning a flat, open dish. (See VESSELS, SACRED.)

Paul, Conversion of Saint.—A feast of the Church observed on January 25th, in memory of the Conversion of St. Paul, through whose preaching God caused the Light of the Gospel to shine throughout the world. St. Paul is not commemorated as the other Apostles are, by his death or martyrdom, but as stated above, by his Conversion because it was so wonderful in itself and was so important and beneficial to the Church. He labored more abundantly than they all. While the other Apostles had their particular fields of labor, St. Paul had the care of all the churches and by his labors contributed very much to the propagation of the Gospel throughout the world. There are good reasons for believing that he extended his Apostolical labors even to the remote island of Britain. We find him described by two names, Saul and Paul, the first being Hebrew, relating to his Jewish origin and the other Latin, assumed by him, as some think, at his conversion, as an act of humility, styling himself less than the least of all saints. St. Paul suffered martyrdom, having been beheaded, in the sixty-eighth year of his age, at Rome, under Nero, in the general {210} persecution of Christians upon the pretense that they set fire to the city. It was from the instrument of his execution that the custom arose of representing him in ecclesiastical art with a sword in his hand.

Penance.—In the early ages of the Church the commission of grievous error in life or doctrine was, punished by exclusion from the Communion of the Church; and in order to obtain readmission, offenders were obliged to submit to a prescribed course of penitence. The regulations as to the length and manner of this discipline varied in different times and in the several branches of the Church; the administration of it was chiefly in the hands of the Bishops. It is this "godly discipline" to which reference is had in the Commination Office in the Prayer-book of the Church of England, and which is used "until the said discipline may be restored again, which is much to be wished." Penance is also regarded as one of the lesser Sacraments.

Penitential Office.—An office of deep devotion and contrition to be used on Ash Wednesday, which was added to the Prayer-book at its last revision in 1892. Its place in the service is during the latter part of the Litany. It may be used on other days at the discretion of the minister. (See ASH WEDNESDAY.)