Unhallowing

Unhallowing is the act or process of depriving something of its sacredness, holiness, or reverence. It involves the desecration, profanation, or secularization of a space, object, or concept previously considered holy or set apart for religious purposes. This can range from removing religious symbolism to altering the spiritual significance of something. The term encompasses a wide range of actions that diminish the sanctity or veneration associated with a particular entity or belief system. This action can be intentional, caused by negligence, or a result of changing societal values.

Unhallowing meaning with examples

• The vandals, motivated by spite, proceeded to unhallowing the ancient church by defacing the stained-glass windows and smashing religious statues, showing their disdain for religious iconography.
• Following the government's decree, the sacred burial ground was unhallowing to make way for a new highway. The graves were moved, losing their ancestral spiritual significance and turning into a road.
• Years of neglect and disrepair led to the gradual unhallowing of the once-revered temple. The decay slowly stripped away its sacred atmosphere, making it appear as any abandoned building.
• The artist's provocative installation, by its very nature, intended to be unhallowing the traditional ideals of what constituted art, by presenting controversial subject matter.
• The cultural revolution witnessed the systematic unhallowing of traditional symbols and religious practices, as society embraced secular ideals that redefined the concept of sacredness.