Concept in Definition ABC
Miscellanea / / July 04, 2021
By Florencia Ucha, on Jun. 2011
Several references are attributed to the concept of sacred in our language, although all of them are associated with the religion and to faith.
That which is associated or proper to a divinity or religious cult
Mostly, the word sacred, is used within the religious contexts and regardless of the doctrine in question, when you want to realize something own or linked to the divinity and the cult in question.
“I ask you please not to say those words anymore, we are inside a sacred space and we have to respect it. " This in clear allusion to that person who, for example, insults or blasphemes within a church. As the church is considered a sacred stronghold, it is very frowned upon for someone to behave and act erratically and disrespectfully there.
Traditionally, in religions, the sacred is that which is closely linked or that is the fundamental of the cult in question and therefore promotes veneration and I respect absolute on the part of all the faithful and believers of him.
The other side of the sacred: the profane
Meanwhile, profane is that which is directly opposed to the sacred. In other words, when this or that thing is said to be profane, then it can never be part of the sacred.
For example, not respecting the rules established by convention, acting against them is considered by religion as a sin, a sacrilege, and according to this the worst of sacrileges is precisely the desecration that implies the introduction of elements considered profane in an area that is considered sacred.
Latin origins of the concept and the conversion of common elements into sacred
The word has a Latin origin, sacratus, participle of the verb sacrare, which implied the action of making something sacred through consecration. In other words, something that is common or profane becomes sacred after a celebration that will consecrate it.
In ancient Rome it was a common practice for certain objects to be consecrated as sacred and then destined for the use and worship of their gods. Once they were consecrated, they enjoyed a special protection that generated that anyone who attempted against them, either by stealing them or spoiling them, he would be accused and punished for sacrilege, and of course, he received a penalty and punishment according to the gravity of the action that he perpetrated against the sacred object.
The importance and influence of sacred questions in monotheistic religions
With the to run of time the concept would be extended to the monotheistic religions that were appearing, Christianity, Judaism and Islam, being that each one proposed different elements or questions that they consecrated as sacred, and for instance their lack of respect should be punished.
Everything associated with the divinity in question, God, Yahweh, Muhammad, is sacred to them, also the religious or priests who are in charge of exercising the ministry, and the representation of these on earth they are, and of course those places where worship is celebrated such as churches, mosques and synagogues.
On the other hand, each religion will have its own book sacred that will be revered, respected, and will defend itself from any type of attack, which will obviously be considered as desecration, such as the Bible, the Koran, the Torah, among others.
That which generates veneration in someone
In any case, the use of the word sacred is not limited solely to religion and therefore has a more general use. that reaches out to different areas of life, then, so the term sacred is also frequently used to refer to to what in someone arouses veneration, devotion and respect, although he has nothing to do with religion.
“ For Juan her mother is sacred, never say anything against her, because he will be very angry with you. Going to mass every Sunday is something sacred to me that I will not stop doing.”
Place in which people protect themselves from the danger that threatens them
And also, through the word sacred, we can refer to to the place, asylum, that some people use to protect themselves against dangerlooming over them; the sacred is the refuge against threat of the one who flees for certain reasons.
Themes in Sacred