A congregation is a large gathering of people, often for the purpose of

worship Worship is an act of religious devotion usually directed towards a deity. It may involve one or more of activities such as veneration, adoration, praise, and praying. For many, worship is not about an emotion, it is more about a recognition ...

. Congregation may also refer to: *

Church (congregation) A church (or local church) is a religious organization or congregation that meets in a particular location. Many are formally organized, with constitutions and by-laws, maintain offices, are served by clergy or lay leaders, and, in nations wher ...

, a Christian organization meeting in a particular place for worship * Congregation (Roman Curia), an administrative body of the Catholic Church **

Congregation for Bishops The Dicastery for Bishops, formerly named Congregation for Bishops (), is the department of the Roman Curia that oversees the selection of most new bishops. Its proposals require papal approval to take effect, but are usually followed. The Dic ...

** Congregation for the Causes of Saints ** Sacred Congregation of Rites *

Religious congregation A religious congregation is a type of religious institute in the Catholic Church. They are legally distinguished from religious orders – the other major type of religious institute – in that members take simple vows, whereas members of religio ...

, a religious institute of the Catholic Church in which simple vows are taken *

Congregation (group of houses) In some religious orders of the Catholic Church, a congregation is a group of religious houses. In monastic orders, this would be monasteries; in orders of canons regular, this would be chapters. Each congregation operates as an autonomous or indepe ...

, a subdivision of some religious institutes in the Catholic Church *

Qahal The ''qahal'' ( he, קהל) was a theocratic organizational structure in ancient Israelite society according to the Hebrew Bible. See column345-6 The Ashkenazi Jewish system of a self-governing community or kehila from medieval Christian Europe ...

, an Israelite organizational structure often translated as ''congregation'' *

Congregation (university) A congregation is a term used in some institutions, especially in the United Kingdom, for a formal meeting of a university, particularly for awarding degrees, and thus, by extension, the name of the graduation ceremony at those universities. The ...

, an assembly of senior members of a university * The general audience in a ward in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Music

The Congregation (band) The Congregation was a British pop ensemble, formed by Roger Cook and Roger Greenaway in England. In the United States it ws credited as The English Congregation. The band's biggest hit was a cover version of "Softly Whispering I Love You" (ori ...

, an English pop group, sold in the US and Canada as The English Congregation * ''Congregation'' (The Afghan Whigs album) **"Congregation", the title song from the album * ''Congregation'' (Kerbdog album) * ''The Congregation'' (Johnny Griffin album) * ''The Congregation'' (Leprous album) * "Congregation" (song), by Foo Fighters

Music

See also