SACRAMENTALS (Sacramentalia)  , in the Roman Catholic Church certain acts or ordinances instituted not by Christ, but by the Catholic Church with divine authority . They are believed, in their application to persons and things, to communicate quasi ex opere operato through ordained priests the grace of God, consisting in purification, supernatural revivification and sanctification . The term is thus used to cover the rites of dedication, consecration and benediction, and, closely connected with the last-named, exorcism .