(Latin: pertaining to a journey) Any rite or attention which gives spiritual comfort to the dying in preparation for the journey to the next life. A name sometimes given to the portable vessels used for administering the Holy Communion.
The Eucharist, as given on the verge of death
communion given to those about to die.
Holy Communion given to a person when they are very close to dying.
Viaticum is the term the Catholic Church uses for the Eucharist (Communion) given to a dying person. It is not the same as the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick, but rather it is the Eucharist administered in special circumstances. According to the L'Osservatore Romano, the Vatican's newspaper, Cardinal Javier Lozano Barragan explained, "The Catholic tradition of giving the Eucharist to the dying ensures that instead of dying alone they die with Christ who promises them eternal life."