This Catholic Update explains how Catholics view and honor the saints and Jesus through images, statues, crucifixes and other objects, taking care to distinguish worship from symbols of veneration or respect.

Listed below are articles on holy water, candles, ashes, fasting, Stations of the Cross, May Crowning, novenas, shrines, pilgrimages, benediction, scapulars, rosaries, statues, saint devotion and genuflection. Learn how these gestures and items remind us of God and connect us with the sacraments.

Counting Down Until Christmas

The Tradition Behind Ash Wednesday
Celebrating the Symbols of Lent
Lenten Customs
Ash Wednesday: Our Shifting Understanding of Lent
Signs of a Penitent Heart

A Glowing Reminder of Christ’s Presence
Presenting…Jesus!
Why Light Candles?

Abstinence From Meat During Lent
Biblical Themes of Lent
Prayer, Fasting and Almsgiving

When to Genuflect
A Walk Through the Mass

Spring of Water Welling Up to Eternal Life
How Are Incense, Oil and Holy Water Symbolic?
No Holy Water in Fonts During Lent

Learning About Mary
Calling Upon Mother Mary
Do Catholics Worship Mary?
Crowning the Queen of the May

Centering Through Sacramentals

What Is a Novena?
Novena to St. Francis
What Happened to Novena Devotions?
Novena to St. Anthony
Perseverance Is the Key

Prayer on the Way
Roamin’ Catholic
Jubilee in Rome: A Pilgrim’s Report

Praying the Rosary
A Rosary Refresher
The Luminous Mysteries
Enjoying God’s Beauty

A Catholic Custom of Lent
Stations of the Cross During Benediction
Tracing the Path of Jesus’ Passion

Are Statues Idols?
Did the Saints Fall From Favor After Vatican II?
How Do Medals and Statues Remind Us of Our Faith?
Saints FAQs
Statues: My Saintly Reminders

Listen to episodes of American Catholic Radio that explore Catholic traditions and sacramentals: use of incense during Mass, candles, prayer to saints, Sign of the Cross, bowing before Communion, pilgrimage, devotion to Mary and rosary prayer.