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

Devotees descended on the temple despite calls to wait until the high-security consecration had ended.

From New York Times • Jan. 22, 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

He said he had looked forward to attending the consecration ceremony of an Indian temple early Thursday but has to “miss it to keep others around me safe.”

From Seattle Times • May 31, 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

The Cairo airport was where scores of Hajj groups were becoming Muhrim, pilgrims, upon entering the state of Ihram, the assumption of a spiritual and physical state of consecration.

From "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" by Alex Malcolm X;Hailey