consecration

American  

[kon-si-krey-shuhn] / ˌkɒn sɪˈkreɪ ʃən /

noun

1. the act of consecrating; dedication to the service and worship of a deity.

2. the act of giving the sacramental character to the Eucharistic elements of bread and wine, especially in the Roman Catholic Church.

3. ordination to a sacred office, especially to the episcopate.

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Consecration British  

/ ˌkɒnsɪˈkreɪʃən /

noun

1. RC Church the part of the Mass after the sermon during which the bread and wine are believed to change into the Body and Blood of Christ

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Other Word Forms

• deconsecration noun
• nonconsecration noun
• preconsecration noun
• reconsecration noun
• unconsecration noun

Etymology

Origin of consecration

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English consecracio(u)n, from Anglo-French, from Latin consecrātiōn-, stem of consecrātiō; equivalent to consecrate + -ion

Explanation

Most often used in a religious context, consecration is the act of dedicating something to God, sanctifying it and making it holy. For example, someone entering the priesthood goes through a consecration rite that establishes his holy commitment. If we go to the root of consecration, we find the Latin noun sacer, or "sacred." Add the prefix con, meaning "with," and you can figure out that the verb consecrare means "to do with sacred dedication." In time, the word also came to mean any religious or secular action or dedication that indicated a strong commitment to some purpose, as in “He approached his job with the consecration of a religious zealot.”

Example Sentences

Leading up to the temple’s consecration, public spaces around India were thrumming with excitement.

From New York Times • Jan. 22, 2024

"Many generations had looked forward to this moment," he said in a message earlier this month, adding that he would be "representing all of India's 140 million people" at the consecration ceremony.

From BBC • Jan. 21, 2024

Modi will be in attendance, alongside several Hindu priests, for the consecration ceremony in which a statue of Ram is to be placed in the temple’s inner sanctum.

From Seattle Times • Jan. 16, 2024

Unlike earlier consecration oils, no ambergris — a product of whale intestine — was used, making the oil “vegan-friendly” according to media reports.

From Washington Times • Apr. 30, 2023

I imagined the plain wooden crucifix above the altar swinging back and forth as Father Amadi raised the host at consecration.

From "Purple Hibiscus" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie