What Is a Shrine?

 Originally the word "shrine" represented a case that held sacred relics. The meaning has since broadened; it now refers to a place considered sacred, religiously or otherwise. Religious shrines are dedicated to the worship of a deity or the veneration of a "holy" person.  They often house images or relics that are believed to be associated with miracles, visions, or apparitions from the spirit realm. Today a shrine may be a temple, a church, or niche where a person worships. Some need to set up a shrine in their home. Home shrines, in both Oriental and Western lands, are small altars where people pray, meditate, or make offerings.

Not all shrines are intended to be places for religious worship. for example, worldwide, families and friends of victims of fatal automobile accidents commonly make 'roadside shrines' in remembrance of their loved ones. Other shrines are more secular in nature and commemorate famous battles or those who died in war or in some other tragedy. Although, such shrines give people an opportunity to meditate and mourn, they often reflect the religious beliefs and practices of those who set them up. 

Next time: "Become Doers of the Word" 

From the jw.org publications