forbidden rites
Outlawed sacred practices
Forbidden rites are rituals prohibited by religious authority, law, or social taboo—ceremonies deemed dangerous, heretical, or morally transgressive.
The phrase evokes occult practices, black magic, or secret ceremonies that violate sacred boundaries: The cult performed forbidden rites under the new moon.
In fantasy and horror fiction, forbidden rites typically summon dark forces or require taboo acts like blood sacrifice.
The phrase carries an air of the arcane and transgressive.
- occultConcealed from view
- dark artsMalevolent supernatural practices
- tabooCultural or social prohibition
- blood sacrificeRitual killing for deities
- sacrificeGiving up something precious
arcane · ceremony · unholy · dark · black magic · summoning · incantation · blasphemy · devil worship · cult · secret · inner circle · profane · black mass · invocation · necromancy · esoteric · conjuring
- Idolatryidol worship, false gods, idol, graven image, graven images
- occultismesotericism, black magic, hermeticism, necromancy, Kabbalah
forbidden ritesholy sacraments
Religious rites conveying grace
sacred ceremonies · divine worship · purification rites · healing ceremonies · benedictions
forbid, forbids, forbidding, forbiddingly, forbidden, bidden, bidding, rite, rites