Religious ceremonies and practices
anoint
verb
to put oil on a part of someone’s body in a religious ceremony
bless
verb
to say a prayer asking God to help and protect someone or something
bless
verb
to make something holy, so that it can be used in a religious ceremony
blessing
noun
a prayer asking for God’s help and protection
celebrant
noun
someone who leads or takes part in a religious ceremony
ceremony
noun
the formal traditions, actions, or words used to celebrate a traditional or religious event
circumcise
verb
to remove the skin at the end of a boy’s or man’s penis for religious or medical reasons
circumcision
noun
a religious ceremony or medical operation in which someone is circumcised
confession
noun
an official statement about what religious beliefs you have
consecrate
verb
to perform a religious ceremony in order to make a place or a thing holy
contemplation
noun
the religious activity of thinking about God
deify
verb
to consider someone to be a god
devotional
adjective
relating to religious subjects or activities
feast
noun
a religious festival such as Christmas or Passover
fiesta
noun
a large public celebration, especially a religious festival in countries where people speak Spanish
flagellation
noun
the practice of hitting yourself with a whip as a religious punishment
invocation
noun
an act of asking for help from a god or a person who has power
invoke
verb
to ask for help from someone who is stronger or more powerful, especially a god
liturgical
adjective
involving or used in religious ceremonies
mela
noun
an occasion when a lot of people gather together, especially for a religious festival
ministry
noun
religious work done by someone
novitiate
noun
the period of time that someone spends as a novice in a religious community
observance
noun
a part of a religious or official ceremony
officiate
verb
to perform the official duties at a ceremony, especially a religious ceremony
ordain
verb
to make someone a priest, minister, or rabbi in an official religious ceremony
ordination
noun
the process or religious ceremony by which someone is officially made a priest, minister, or rabbi
prayers
noun
a regular religious ceremony with prayers
prayer meeting
noun
a religious meeting where people pray together
preach
verb
to talk about a religious subject at a religious meeting, especially in church
purification
noun
a religious act or ceremony to purify someone or something
purify
verb
to make a person holy or without evil
purify
verb
to make something fit to be used for religious purposes
reading
noun
something that someone reads to a group of people, for example at a public event or religious ceremony
rite
noun
a traditional ceremony, especially a religious one
sacrifice
noun
the act of killing a person or animal as part of a ceremony to honour a god or spirit
sacrifice
noun
a person or animal killed to honour a god or spirit
sacrificial
adjective
connected with sacrifices, or used as a sacrifice
sanctify
verb
to make something or someone holy, especially in a religious ceremony
service
noun
a religious ceremony
thanksgiving
noun
an expression of thanks, often in the form of a prayer to God
vigil
noun
a period of time at night when you stay awake to pray
vigils
noun
a religious ceremony at night
keep/break the Sabbath
to follow or not follow the rules about the Sabbath
