What is Liturgy?

Liturgy from the Ancient Greek term "λειτουργία," meaning "public service," is the formal, public, and structured worship of God. All of the seven sacraments or mysteries of the Christian religion are celebrated as liturgies. However, unless otherwise stated, I will henceforth refer to only the celebration of the eucharistic sacrifice as the liturgy. The liturgy is conducted according to particular, prescribed rubrics or procedures known as liturgical rites. There are 24 relatively autonomous churches within the Catholic Church and they each celebrate the sacraments according to a particular rite. The essential elements required for the sacrament to be efficacious remain the same. The symbolism and themes are also generally similar between rites albeit with some differences. The particular thematic emphases, the order and structure of the liturgy, and the exact non-essential content of many of the prayers and services differ.