Enraged at the omission he violently breaks up the sacrifice either in person or through a being whom he creates for the purpose, assaults the officiants and the gods who are present, and is pacified by receiving a share.
In this case too the parallel is superficial, for the rites are in most cases not prayers for the dead: the officiants recite formulae by which they acquire merit and they then formally transfer this merit to the dead.
Footnote 161: An ordinary sacrifice was offered for a private person who had to be initiated and the priests were merely officiants acting on his behalf.
This merit is then formally transferred by the officiants to some special object, such as the peace of the dead or the prosperity of a living suppliant.
But in India, where there are no histories and no dates, we know every prayer and gesture of the officiants throughout complicated sacrifices and possess a whole library describing their correct performance.
It is the same with the totemic paintings executed on the bodies of the officiants in the exceptionally important ceremonies.
The fact is not improbable; these consummations are means employed by the officiants or assistants to acquire virtues which they acquire; it is not surprising if they are numerous.
It sometimes happens that their part is not simply that of spectators; it is true that they do not officiate, but they decorate the officiants and prepare the service.
Thus the ritual ornamentations with which the officiants are decorated are violently torn off from them when the rite is terminated (Nor.
The decorations with which the officiants and assistants at the religious ceremonies adorn themselves have the same name: women and children may not see them.
The above list will hopefully give you a few useful examples demonstrating the appropriate usage of "officiants" in a variety of sentences. We hope that you will now be able to make sentences using this word.
