Meaning & use
communion of the saints
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Meanings
nounsingularreligion
In Christian belief, the spiritual fellowship linking all believers, living and dead, into one community in Christ.
Grammar: Used as a fixed phrase with "the"; it takes a singular verb: the communion of the saints is...
Patterns
- the communion of the saints
- believe in the communion of the saints
The congregation recited the creed, including the line about the communion of the saints.
For many believers, the communion of the saints means that death does not cut them off from other Christians.
nounsingularreligion
The shared life and mutual support that Christians give one another as members of one body.
Grammar: Also a fixed phrase; it is not used with "a" or in the plural.
Patterns
- a sense of the communion of the saints
Her illness made her feel the communion of the saints through the meals and prayers of her church.
The sermon described the communion of the saints as a bond that crosses social class and nation.
Common combinations
- believe in the communion of the saints
- The new members' class asked what it means to believe in the communion of the saints.
- the doctrine of the communion of the saints
- The doctrine of the communion of the saints appears in early Christian writings.
- a sign of the communion of the saints
- The offering for flood victims was seen as a sign of the communion of the saints.
Synonyms and how they differ
- fellowship
- A general word for friendly shared life among believers; it does not include the dead, so it is narrower than the communion of the saints.
- the body of Christ
- A biblical image for the church as one organism; it overlaps strongly but is used more widely in Protestant preaching.
Word family
- communion noun
- The act of sharing in a common life, or the Christian service of bread and wine.
- saint noun
- A holy person, especially one officially recognized by a church.
Commonly confused: communion of the saints or Holy Communion?
communion of the saints vs Holy Communion
Holy Communion is the church service or act of receiving bread and wine; the communion of the saints is the wider fellowship of all believers.
Practice
In the Apostles' Creed, Christians say they believe in "the communion of the saints." What does this phrase refer to?
Choose one answer.
The phrase names the spiritual unity of all Christians, including those who have died. Option 0 describes Holy Communion, a different term that is easy to confuse with it.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “communion of the saints”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.