(Latin: sacer, sacred; legere, to purloin)
The violation or irreverent treatment of sacred persons, places, or things. To be a sacrilege, this violation or irreverent treatment must touch that formality in the object by which it is sacred. Sacrilege is a sin opposed to the virtue of religion, and as such is a grave sin in grave matter. The definition suggests the threefold division of sacrilege; viz., personal, an irreverent treatment of sacred persons, such as the violent laying of hands on clerics or religious; local, a violation of a sacred place, such as committing certain crimes, as homicide in a church; real, a violation of sacred things, such as the unworthy reception of a sacrament of the living, or simony.
This dictionary contains not only definitions and explanations of every subject in Religion, Scripture, tradition, doctrine, morals, sacraments, rites, customs, devotions and symbolism, but also accounts of the Church in every continent, country, diocese; missions, notable Catholic centers, cities, and places with religious names; religious orders, church societies, sects and false religions. It has brief articles also on historical events and personages, on the Old Testament and New, and on popes, prelates, priests, men and women of distinction, showing what the Church has done for civilization and correcting many errors which have hitherto passed for history.Wikipedia
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