sacralization
Rendering something holy
Sacralization is the process of making something sacred—investing it with religious or spiritual significance.
In sociology and religious studies, the term describes how objects, places, practices, or ideas become treated as holy or set apart from ordinary life: the sacralization of national symbols, the sacralization of the Constitution.
The word often appears in discussions of how secular things acquire quasi-religious status.
In medicine, sacralization refers to a spinal condition where the lowest lumbar vertebra fuses with the sacrum.
Making someone or something sacred
- hallowingMaking something sacred
- blessingPrayer seeking divine favor
- dedicationWholehearted loyalty to purpose
- consecratedDeclared sacred through ritual
purification · canonization · beatification · anointing · ordination · divinization · holy water · chrism
Religious reverence and praise
- adorationProfound loving regard
- reverenceProfound admiring respect
- devotionDeep, loyal commitment
- pietySincere religious devotion
awe · glorification · exaltation · idolization · deification · apotheosis · cult · shrine
Transforming into sellable goods
- celebrityWidely recognized public figure
- fandomEnthusiast community collectively
- fanaticismObsessive, unreasoning dedication
- obsessionPersistent, intrusive preoccupation
cultism · zealotry · fetishization · brand worship · consumerism · stadium · memorabilia · autograph
Formal event marking occasions
- ritesFormal ceremonial acts
- liturgyFormal worship structure
- ritualCeremonial set of actions
- totemSpiritual clan symbol
taboo · shaman · mantra · chant · incantation · communion · vestments · procession
Making legendary or sacred
- nationalismDevotion to one's country
- heritageInherited cultural legacy
- monumentStructure honoring someone remembered
- memorialThing preserving remembrance
flag · anthem · founding fathers · martyrdom · pantheon · canonization · legendary · folklore
sanctification
Making someone or something sacred
- hallowingMaking something sacred
- blessingPrayer seeking divine favor
- dedicationWholehearted loyalty to purpose
consecrated · purification · canonization · beatification · anointing · ordination · divinization · holy water · chrism · ritual cleansing
worship
Religious reverence and praise
piety · awe · glorification · exaltation · idolization · deification · apotheosis · cult · shrine · relic
commodification
Transforming into sellable goods
- celebrityWidely recognized public figure
- fandomEnthusiast community collectively
- fanaticismObsessive, unreasoning dedication
obsession · cultism · zealotry · fetishization · brand worship · consumerism · stadium · memorabilia · autograph · collectible
ceremony
Formal event marking occasions
totem · taboo · shaman · mantra · chant · incantation · communion · vestments · procession · tradition
mythologizing
Making legendary or sacred
- nationalismDevotion to one's country
- heritageInherited cultural legacy
- monumentStructure honoring someone remembered
memorial · flag · anthem · founding fathers · martyrdom · pantheon · canonization · legendary · folklore · ancestor worship
sacralizationprofanation
Violation of sanctity
secularization · desecration · defilement · degradation · corruption
sacralizationsecularization
Religion losing social significance
disenchantment · rationalization · demystification · naturalization · materialization
sacralizationprofanation
Violation of sanctity
desecration · violation · trivialization · commodification · vulgarization
sacred, sacrifice, sacrament, consecrate, desecrate, sacrilege, secularization, sacral, secularize