sacred rite
Solemn religious observance
A sacred rite is a formal ceremony or ritual with religious or spiritual significance—baptism, communion, burial of the dead.
The phrase emphasizes solemnity and tradition: The tribe's sacred rites were passed down for generations.
Figuratively, anything treated with reverent regularity might be called a sacred rite: Sunday dinner was a sacred rite in our family.
- ceremonyFormal event marking occasions
- wedding ceremonyRitual joining two spouses
- liturgyFormal worship structure
- religious observancePractice of faith duties
- blessingPrayer seeking divine favor
last rites · initiation · invocation · incense · burning incense · altar · offering · chanting · high priest · priest · holy · holy water · temple · communion · baptism · ordination · procession · vestments
- mythologyZeus, Apollo, Athena, Poseidon, Odin
- atonementpropitiation, substitution, reconciler, forgiveness, sin offering
sacred ritesacrilege
Violation of the hallowed
desecration · profanation · blasphemy · black mass · defilement
sacred, rite, sacredness, sacral, sacrament, sacramental, sacrum, consecrate, consecration