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

Example Sentences

The consecration ceremony was both religious ritual and viral spectacle, with Mr. Modi cast in the role of ultimate victor, striding alone in the frame.

From New York Times • Feb. 3, 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

The War Requiem was commissioned to mark the consecration of the new Coventry Cathedral in 1962, after the original 14th Century building was destroyed in a World War Two bombing raid.

From BBC • Dec. 6, 2023

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