Roman Catholic devotionsare "external practices of piety" that are not part of the official liturgy of the Catholic Church but are part of the popular spiritual practices of Catholics.Catholic devotions do not become part of liturgical worship, even if they are performed within a Catholic church, in a group, or in the presence of a priest. TheCongregation for Divine Worshipat the Vatican publishes aDirectory on Popular Piety and the Liturgy.
Devotion to saints, with theVirgin Maryas the most prominent example, is a key characteristic of Roman Catholicism. Catholic devotions have various forms, ranging from formalized, multi-day prayers such asnovenasto activities that do not involve any prayers, such asEucharistic adorationoutside Mass, the wearing ofscapulars,the veneration of the saints, and even horticultural practices such as maintaining aMary garden.
Common examples of Catholic devotions include the Rosary, the Stations of the Cross, the Sacred Heartof Jesus, the Holy Face of Jesus, the various scapulars, the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Our Lady of Guadalupe, Seven Sorrows of Mary, novenas to various saints, pilgrimagesand devotions to the Blessed Sacrament, and the veneration ofsaintly images.
