- The act, process, or ceremony of consecrating.
- The state of being consecrated.
consecration
Dictionary:
con·se·cra·tion (kŏn'sĭ-krā'shən)  |
n.
| Encyclopedia of Judaism: Consecration |
The act of making something or someone holy. Consecration may be performed by God, or it may require man's action; it may involve a time, a space, a person, or an object. The biblical account of Creation states that "God blessed the seventh day, and declared it holy" (Gen.2:3), indicating that the consecration of the Sabbath was a Divine act. As a copartner with God in creation, however, it is man who, by fixing the date of the New Moon, consecrates each of the Festivals.
Various people or groups of people were also consecrated, notably the Firstborn of Israel (Ex. 13:2). Later, following the Golden Calf transgression, the sanctity of the firstborn was transferred to the Levites. When installed as High Priest of Israel, Aaron was anointed with oil (Ex. 28:41), a form of consecration that marked the appointment of all subsequent High Priests until the destruction of the First Temple. Anointing was also used for the appointment of kings.
The different utensils in the Sanctuary (Heb. Mikdash, a word derived from the term meaning "holy") were anointed with oil in order to consecrate them (Ex. 40). The Sanctuary itself and all its utensils (40:9), the altar of the burnt offerings and its utensils (v. 10), and the laver and its stand (v. 11) were all anointed with oil. Subsequently, the Temple would also be consecrated, as were the animals used for sacrifice (see Hekdesh).
Once the Temple had been destroyed, however, only three forms of consecration became applicable in Jewish life: the consecration of a new Synagogue, of a new Cemetery, and of a new home. For none of these three acts of consecration is any specific ceremony laid down by Jewish law. Whatever practices are followed today stem from evolving religious Custom the Consecration of a Synagogue, for Example, Frequently Involves the Arranging of a Festive Procession Whereby the At the consecration of a new cemetery, penitential prayers are added to the Morning Service on that particular day. Members of the ḥevrah kaddisha (Burial Society) also observe a fast. Various psalms are recited, and all present walk around the cemetery. As this circuit is made, "Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us" (Ps. 90:17) is often recited. The ceremony then concludes with a prayer that no evil may befall anyone and that death will cease. The consecration (or dedication) of a new home is known in Hebrew as ḥanukkat Ha-Bayit, this custom being already indicated in the Pentateuch (Deut.20:5). It always includes---and usually begins with---the affixing of the Mezuzah on the front doorpost of the house, together with the prescribed benedictions (which include She-heḥeyanu). Among Ashkenazim, it is customary for various Psalms to be read on this occasion, e.g., Ps.30 ("A Song for the Dedication of the House"), Ps.15, and Ps. 127:1; prayers may also be recited for the welfare of the household and for the rebuilding of the Temple. Refreshments or a meal usually conclude the dedication ceremony. If one moves into a new home in the Land of Israel, the meal is considered to be an obligatory se'udat mitsvah after fulfilling a commandment; elsewhere, it is an optional se'udat reshut. During the Middle Ages, it was commonly believed that evil spirits inhabited a new house before the owners took possession. To guard against their malevolent influence, people would slaughter a rooster and a hen prior to moving into their new home, as if to show that they were not the first inhabitants. Such folk practices were denounced by rabbis of the time, who considered them un-Jewish and idolatrous.
| WordNet: consecration |
Note: click on a word meaning below to see its connections and related words.
The noun has 2 meanings:
Meaning #1:
a solemn commitment of your life or your time to some cherished purpose (to a service or a goal)
Meaning #2:
sanctification of something by setting it apart (usually with religious rites) as dedicated to God
| Wikipedia: Consecration |
 |
This article is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. WikiProject Religion or the Religion Portal may be able to help recruit one. (November 2008) |
Consecration is the solemn dedication to a special purpose or service, usually religious. The word "consecration" literally means "to associate with the sacred". Persons, places, or things can be consecrated, and the term is used in various ways by different groups.
A synonym for consecration is to sanctify. An antonym is desecrate.
Contents |
Roman Catholic Church
The word "consecration" is used in the Catholic Church as the setting apart for the service of God of both persons and objects.
The ordination of a new bishop is also called a consecration. While the term "episcopal ordination" is now more common[citation needed], "consecration" was the preferred term in the centuries immediately preceding the Second Vatican Council.
The life of those who enter religious orders and similar institutes is also described as Consecrated Life.
A rite of consecration of virgins can be traced back at least to the fourth century.[1] By the time of the Second Vatican Council, use of this rite was limited to cloistered nuns.[2] The Council directed that the then existing rite should be revised.[3] Two similar versions were prepared, one for women living in religious institutes, another for those living in the world outside. An English translation of the rite for those living in the world is available on the web site of the United States Association of Consecrated Virgins.
Objects such as chalices are also consecrated, normally by a bishop, using chrism.
A more solemn rite exists for the consecration of an altar, either of the altar alone or as the central part of the rite of consecration of a church. Since it would be contradictory to consecrate to the service of God a mortgage-burdened building, the rite of consecration or dedication of a church is carried out only if the building is debt-free. Otherwise, it is only blessed.
A very special act of consecration is that of the bread and wine used in the Eucharist, which according to Catholic belief involves their change into the body and blood of Christ, a changed referred to as transsubstantiation.
Eastern Churches
Main article: Consecrations in Eastern Christianity
In the Eastern Orthodox Churches and the Eastern Catholic Churches, the term "consecration" can refer to either the Sacred Mystery (Sacrament) of Cheirotonea (Ordination through laying on of hands) of a Bishop, or the sanctification and solemn dedication of a church building. It can also (more rarely) be used to describe the change of the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ at the Divine Liturgy. The Chrism used at Chrismation and the Antimension placed on the Holy Table are also said to be consecrated.
Various Christian Churches
Church buildings, chapels and altars are consecrated to the purpose of religious worship, baptismal fonts and vessels are consecrated for the purpose of containing the Eucharistic elements, the bread and wine/the body and blood of Christ.
In the Eucharist, Lutherans hold that the consecration is effected by the recitation of the Words of Institution (sometimes sung) over the bread and wine, resulting in the sacramental union whereby the bread is the communion of Christ's true body and the wine is the communion of Christ's true blood. Among Anglicans, Methodists, Presbyterians, and other Protestants that accept some form of Real Presence Theology, the elements are consecrated when the presiding/celebrating minister calls upon the Holy Spirit to "make them be for us the body and blood of Christ".
A person may be consecrated for a specific role within a religious hierarchy, or a person may consecrate his or her life in an act of devotion. In particular, the ordination of a bishop is often called a consecration. In churches which follow the doctrine of Apostolic Succession (the historical episcopate) the bishops who consecrate a new bishop are known as the consecrators and form an unbroken line of succession back to the Apostles. Also, those who take the vows of religious life are said to be living a consecrated life.
Among some religious groups there is also a service of "deconsecration", to return a formerly consecrated place to secular purpose (for instance, if the building is to be sold or demolished). In the Church of England, an order making a church "redundant" may remove the legal effects of consecration.
Latter Day Saints
See also: Setting apart
In the nineteenth-century Latter Day Saint tradition, consecration involved the giving of member's worldly possessions to the church. While it might be considered a type of voluntary religious communism, Latter Day Saint consecration does not involve the abolition of private property. It was practiced off and on during the 19th century, but is now extremely rare among Latter Day Saint denominations. Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints still covenant to live the Law of Consecration by consecrating themselves, and everything with which the Lord has blessed them, or will bless them to the building up of the kingdom of God and the establishment of Zion. See Law of Consecration.
The priesthood of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints also perform a consecration of oil, for use of blessing the sick. The term 'consecration', as it applies to the Lord's Supper in other Christian churches, is simply called a 'blessing' by the Latter-day Saint priesthood.
Notes
- ^ The Sacraments (Liturgical Press, 1987, ISBN 0814613659, 9780814613658), p. 211
- ^ Apostolic Constitution Sponsa Christi - AAS 43 (1951), 16
- ^ Sacrosanctum Concilium, 80
Bibliography
- Service Book of the Holy Orthodox-Catholic Apostolic Church, Isabel F. Hapgood (Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America, New York) 1975.
- Orthodox Dogmatic Theology: A Concise Exposition, Protopresbyter Michael Pomazansky (Tr. Hieromonk Seraphim Rose, Saint Herman of Alaska Brotherhood, Platina CA) 1984.
- The Law of God, Archpriest Seraphim Slobodskoy (Tr. Holy Trinity Monastery, Jordanville NY) 1996.
See also
External links
 |
Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Consecration |
- Consecration article in Catholic Encyclopedia
- Consecration of an Orthodox Church 6 pages of photos, Serbian Orthodox Church
- Photos of Consecration of Altar and Antimens in the Russian Orthodox Church
- The Sanctification of Holy Chrism by the Ecumenical Patriarchate
- Virginity article in Catholic Encyclopedia discussing Consecration of a Virgin
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)
Learn More
 | misconsecration |
| reconsecration |
| sacration |
 | What does 'consecrate' mean? Read answer... |
| Who can consecrate the Eucharist? Read answer... |
| How do they consecrate babies in a Pentecostal church? Read answer... |
Help us answer these
 | What is a consecration fast? |
| How are the elements consecrated? |
| What happens during consecration of the mass? |
Post a question - any question - to the WikiAnswers community:
Copyrights:
 |
 | Dictionary. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. Read more |
 |
| Encyclopedia of Judaism. The New Encyclopedia of Judaism. Copyright © 1989, 2002 by G.G. The Jerusalem Publishing House, Ltd. All rights reserved. Read more |
 |
| WordNet. WordNet 1.7.1 Copyright © 2001 by Princeton University. All rights reserved. Read more |
 |
| Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Consecration". Read more |
Related answers
- What does consecrate or consecration mean?
- What is a Antonym for consecration?
- Sentence for consecrate?
- What is a synonym for consecration?
ADVERTISEMENT
Answer these
- How do you consecrate something?
- How do you consecrate the family?
- What is a sentence for consecrate?
- What is consecration in greek?
Mentioned in
- consecratory
- disanoint
- canister (architecture)
- dedication cross
- Elevation (music)
- antecommunion
- episcopize
- Theological Basis of Marian Consecration (1990 Spirituality & Philosophy Film)
- ordination
- encenia
