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Shrine is also used as a conventional translation of the Japanese Jinja.
Russian Orthodox Christian shrine of Our Lady's Assumption in Smolensk, Russia, 1912.
Buddhist shrine just outside Hong Kong in China.

A shrine, from the Latin scrinium (‘box’; also used as a desk, like the French bureau) is a holy or sacred place which is dedicated to a specific deity, ancestor, hero, martyr, saint or similar figure of awe and respect, at which they are venerated or worshipped. Shrines often contain idols, relics, or other such objects associated with the figure being venerated. A shrine at which offerings are made is called an altar. Shrines are found in many of the world's religions, including Catholic Christianity, Shia Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Wicca, LaVeyan Satanism, Chinese folk religion and Shinto, as well as in secular and non-religious settings. As such, shrines can be found in various settings, such as churches, temples, cemeteries, or in the home, although portable shrines are also found in some cultures.

This modern definition of a shrine is an extension of the original definition that was used in late antiquity, that of being a container, usually made of precious materials, used especially for a relic and often a cult image.

Contents

Types of Shrine

There are different types of shrine.

Woman at a yard shrine, an 1895 painting by John William Waterhouse.

Site-specific shrines

In Christianity and Islam, a shrine does not usually denote any place where a deity is worshipped but refers to a space set up dedicated to an important religious event that happened there. These such sites commonly become places of pilgrimage. Examples include the Christian Lourdes and Walsingham, and the Islamic ka'bah.

Temple shrines

Most shrines are located within buildings designed specifically for worship, such as a church in Christianity, or a mandir in Hinduism. A shrine here is usually the centre of attention in the building, and is given a place of prominence. In such cases, adherants of the faith assemble within the building in order to venerate the deity at the shrine.

Household shrines

In historical pagan faiths, as well as in modern faiths such as Hinduism and Neopaganism, a shrine can commonly be found within the home, dedicated to a deity or to a localised household deity.

Yard shrines

Small outdoor yard shrines are found at the places of many peoples following various religions, especially historic Christianity. Many consist of a statue of Christ or a saint on a pedestal or in an alcove, while others may be elaborate groupings including paintings, statuary, and architectual elements such as walls, roofs, glass doors, ironwork fences, and so on.

In the United States, many Christians (especially Anglican and Roman Catholic) have small yard shrines; some of these greatly resemble side altars, since they are composed of a statue placed in a niche or grotto; this type is colloquially referred to as a bathtub Madonna. Nativity scenes are also a form of yard shrine.

Religious shrines

Orthodox Christian shrine in Suzdal, Russia, from 1912.

Shrines are most commonly found as a place of religious significance, and shrines are found in most, though not all, religions. As distinguished from a temple, a shrine usually houses a particular relic or cult image, which is the object of worship or veneration, or is constructed to set apart a site which is thought to be particularly holy, as opposed to being placed for the convenience of worshippers. Shrines therefore attract the practice of pilgrimage.

Christianity

Catholic shrine: glass coffin of Saint Catherine Labouré

Shrines are found in many, though not all, forms of Christianity. Roman Catholicism, the largest denomination of Christianity, has many shrines, as does Orthodox Christianity, however Protestantism, another type of Christianity, is typically opposed to them.

In the Roman Catholic Code of Canon law, canons 1230 and 1231 read: "The term shrine means a church or other sacred place which, with the approval of the local Ordinary, is by reason of special devotion frequented by the faithful as pilgrims. For a shrine to be described as national, the approval of the Episcopal Conference is necessary. For it to be described as international, the approval of the Holy See is required." Catholic shrines are therefore normally churches which for historical or other reasons have become the destination of pilgrimages.

Another use of the term "shrine" in colloquial Catholic terminology is a niche or alcove in most - especially larger - churches used by parishioners when praying privately in the church. They were also called Devotional Altars, since they could look like small Side Altars. Shrines were always centered on some image of Christ or a saint - for instance, a statue, painting, mural or mosaic, and may have had a reredos behind them (without a Tabernacle built in).

However, Mass would not be celebrated at them; they were simply used to aid or give a visual focus for prayers. Side altars where Mass could actually be celebrated were used in a similar way to shrines by parishioners. Side Altars were specifically dedicated to The Virgin Mary, Saint Joseph or other saints.

The long Roman Catholic tradition of veneration of saints has produced an impressive number of notable shrines, some of truly international renoun. There are separate articles on:

Shrine may also designate a small altar in a home or place of business, or a room or item of furniture which is decorated with religious symbols and used for private worship, as was common in the polytheist periods of Classical Antiquity. Devotions are generally to ancestral or tutelary spirits.

Islam

Pilgrims outside the Shrine of Imam Hussain ibn Ali in Karbala, Iraq.

Muslims do not have shrines dedicated to Allah, and consider such a thing to be idolatry. Sunni Islam, which is the largest form of Islam, does not have any shrines at all, except for the ka'ba, a central box in the city of Mecca, which is often referred to as a shrine even though it is not used for the worship of Allah.

Muslims have differing opinions on shrines and the intercession of saints. In the Qur'an, which Muslims believe is the direct word of Allah; "and the mosques are for Allah (Alone): so invoke not anyone along with Allah" Sura Al-Jinn:18 (72:18)).

Shia Islam on the other hand maintains a tradition of venerating late religious leaders (as there is no hierarchical church, the bond is personal; but often a 'successor', sometimes even a son, maintains a following) and/or martyrs (usually at their grave); thus the Persian word imamzadeh. There are also sunnite equivalents, as among the ascetic marabouts of West Africa and the Maghreb.

Hinduism

A Hindu shrine dedicated to the god Ganesh.

In Hinduism, a shrine is a place where a god or goddess is worshipped. Shrines are typically located inside a temple known as a mandir, though many Hindus also have a household shrine as well. Sometimes a human is venerated at a Hindu shrine along with a deity, for instance the 19th century religious teacher Sri Ramakrishna is venerated at the Ramakrishna Temple in Kolkata, India.

Central to a Hindu shrine is a statue of a deity, which is known as a murti. Hindus believe that the deity that they are worshiping actually enters and inhabits the murti. This is given offerings like candles, food, flowers, and incense. In some cases, particularly among devotees of the goddess Kali in northern India, animals are sacrificed to the deity.

At a mandir, the congregation often assembles in front of a shrine, and, led by priests, give offerings and sing devotional hymns.

Buddhism

Buddhist shrine just outside Wat Phnom

In Buddhism, a shrine refers to a place where veneration is focused on the Buddha or one of the bodhisattvas. Monks, nuns and laypeople all give offerings to these revered figures at these shrines and also meditate in front of them.

Typically, Buddhist shrines contain a statue of either the Buddha, or (in the Mahayana and Vajrayana forms of Buddhism), one of the various bodhisattvas1. They also commonly contain candles, along with offerings such as flowers, purified water, food, and incense. Many shrines also contain sacred relics, such as the alleged tooth of the Buddha held at a shrine in Sri Lanka.

Site-specific shrines in Buddhism, particularly those that contain relics of deceased buddha's and revered monks, are often designed in the traditional form known as the stupa.

Neopaganism

In the many different neopagan faiths, which include Wicca, Neo-Druidry and Heathenism, there is a variety as to what shrines are used for.

In the neopagan religion of Wicca, a shrine is a place where the Horned God and the Triple Goddess are worshipped, however they are more commonly referred to with the term 'altar In other Pagan religions shrines may be dedicated to one or many diffrent Gods and Goddesses

Religions without shrines

Certain religions do not feature shrines at all, either because they believe they are fundamentally wrong, or because they simply do not need them. Spiritualism, whilst believing in a God, does not typically make use of shrines.

Secular shrines

In the United States and some other countries, landmarks may be called "historic shrines." Notable shrines of this type include:

By extension the term shrine has come to mean any place (or virtual cyber-place) dedicated completely to a particular person or subject.

List of shrines

The list of those considered at least of national importance comprises none in Africa, but on all other continents:

Europe

One in Austria:

In Belgium:

Two in Croatia:

One in the Czech Republic:

Four in France:

In Germany:

One in Ireland:

  • the minor basilica of Our Lady of Knock Queen of Ireland [BVM] in Knock

Two pontifical minor basilicas in Italy:

One in Latvia:

  • minor basilica of BVM Assumption in Aglona

One in Malta:

  • the minor basilica of National Shrine of the Blessed Virgin of Ta’ Pinu [BVM Assumption] in Għarb

Four main shrines in Poland:

The main shrine in Portugal:

Three minor basilicas in Spain:

Five in the UK:

North America

Seven in Canada:

One in Mexico:

Fifty-five in the USA:

Central America

Two in Cuba

One in Nicaragua

One in Panama

South America

Asia

Two in China.

In Japan:

Two in India:

Many Islamic shrines all over the Middle East, especially revered by the Shia. Notable ones include:

Israel:

Fifteen in the Philippines.

Two in Sri Lanka.

Oceania

All four are in Australia, in only two major cities:

  • in Sydney, St. Mary's Cathedral, a minor basilica
  • in Melbourne: St. Anthony's National Shrine, National Shrine of Our Lady of Mount Carmel and National Shrine of Saint Thérèse of Lisieux

Eastern Orthodox

Bahá'í

The Shrine of the Báb and its Terraces on Mt. Carmel, Haifa.

The two most well-known Bahá'í shrines serve as the resting places for the respective remains of the Twin Manifestations of the Bahá'í Faith, the Báb and Bahá'u'lláh. They are the focal points of a Bahá'í pilgrimage.

Shinto

Main article: Shinto shrine

Shinto temples (in Japanese, variously named jinja, taisha, and jingū) are conventionally called "shrines" in English. A portable miniature version, called a mikoshi, is carried in Shinto processions. See Category:Shinto shrines

See also

Sister project Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Shrines

Sources and references

(incomplete)

References

  1. ^ http://www.buddhamind.info/leftside/actives/shrine.htm

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