Sacramentale (Medieval Latin, from Latin sacramentum; “pertaining to a sacrament”) is a term first documented in the 12th century to denote actions closely related to a sacrament in the narrow sense – for example, catechesis (Catechism) and exorcism (prayer to expel evil) at baptism – which had formerly been called sacraments; it was already in use by Peter Lombard (Liber sententiarum, book 4, dist. 6, cap. 7, c. 1150). Since his Sentences remained the standard theological textbook well into the 16th century, this terminology became established.

At the same time, a nuanced…