A rite is an established, ceremonious, usually religious act. Rites in this sense fall into three major categories:
- rites of passage, generally changing an individual's social status, such as marriage, baptism, or graduation.
- rites of worship, where a community comes together to worship, such as Jewish synagogue or Mass
- rites of personal devotion, where an individual worships, including prayer and pilgrimages such as the Muslim Hajj.
Famous quotes containing the word rite:
“No doubt they rose up early to observe
The rite of May.”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)
“A woman can get marries and her life does change. And a man can get married and his life changes. But nothing changes life as dramatically as having a child. . . . In this country, it is a particular experience, a rite of passage, if you will, that is unsupported for the most part, and rather ignored. Somebody will send you a couple of presents for the baby, but people do not acknowledge the massive experience to the parents involved.”
—Dana Raphael (20th century)
“Every ceremony or rite has a value if it is performed without alteration. A ceremony is a book in which a great deal is written. Anyone who understands can read it. One rite often contains more than a hundred books.”
—George Gurdjieff (c. 1877–1949)