the act of consecrating a temple, altar, statue, palace, or other work, to the honour of some deity.

The use of dedications is very ancient, both amongst the worshippers of the true God and amongst the heathens. In the Scripture we meet with dedications of the tabernacle, of altars, of the first and second temple, and even of the houses of private persons. There were also dedications of vessels and garments of the priests and Levites, and even of the men themselves. The heathens had likewise dedications of temples, altars, and images of their gods. Nebuchadnezzar made a solemn dedication of his statue. Pilate at Jerusalem dedicated gilt bucklers to Tiberius; in like manner Petronius would have dedicated a statue to the emperor in the same city; and Tacitus mentions the dedication of the capitol, upon its being rebuilt by Vespasian.

The Jews every year celebrated the anniversary of the dedication of their temple for eight days. This was first enjoined by Judas Maccabeus, and the whole synagogue, in the year of the Syro-Macedonian era 148, or 164 years before Christ. The heathens had similar anniversaries, as that of the dedication of the temple of Parthenope, mentioned by Lycophron. Under Christianity, dedication is only applied to a church, and is properly the consecration thereof, performed by a bishop, with a number of ceremonies prescribed by the church.

The Christians finding themselves in possession of liberty under Constantine, instead of their ruinous churches, built new ones in every place, and dedicated these with much solemnity. The dedication was usually performed in a synod; at least a number of bishops was assembled to assist at the service. The description of those of the churches at Jerusalem and Tyre may be found in Eusebius, and many others in later writers.

in literature, is an address prefixed to a book, soliciting patronage, or testifying respect for the person to whom it is inscribed.