consecrate

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
consecrate /ˈkɒnsɪkreɪt/

▶verb

• 1 make or declare sacred.

  ■ (in Christian belief) declare (bread or wine) to be or represent the body and blood of Christ.

• 2 ordain to a sacred office, typically that of bishop.

– derivatives
consecration noun,
consecrator noun,
consecratory adjective.

– origin ME: from L. consecrat-, consecrare ‘dedicate, devote as sacred’, from con- (expressing intensive force) + sacrare ‘dedicate’, from sacer ‘sacred’.