sacred time

religion

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July 13, 2026

Quick Summary

In religion, "sacred time" refers to periods set apart from ordinary, or profane, time, which are believed to participate in a transcendent or supernatural realm. These special times are often marked by festivals and rituals that re-enact foundational events, allowing participants to connect with the divine and renew the world order. Sacred time is frequently organized around a religious calendar, with significant dates often tied to agricultural cycles, celestial events like solstices and equinoxes, or historical occurrences important to the community.123

Examples include New Year's festivals, which celebrate the victory of order over chaos, and harvest festivals, which express gratitude and ensure the continuation of life. In cyclical views of time, these festivals represent a return to a primordial state, while in linear conceptions, they commemorate pivotal historical events that define a community's identity and destiny.31

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religious symbolism and iconography
Symbols of sacred time and space
The symbolical forms of representation of the sacred or holy are to be understood as references to or transparencies of the sacred or holy. The sacred manifests itself in time and space, so that time and space themselves become diaphanous indications…
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The symbolical forms of representation of the sacred or holy are to be understood as references to or transparencies of the sacred or holy. The sacred manifests itself in time and space, so that time and space themselves become diaphanous indications…
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ritual
Conclusion
…ritual is often called “sacred time.” What must not be forgotten in the study of ritual is a special aspect of ritual that is often described as “sacred space.” Time and place are essential features of ritual action, and both mark a specific orientation or setting for ritual. Time…
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…ritual is often called “sacred time.” What must not be forgotten in the study of ritual is a special aspect of ritual that is often described as “sacred space.” Time and place are essential features of ritual action, and both mark a specific orientation or setting for ritual. Time…
Read More