Ever wondered what the word 'sacrifice' meant? The word 'sacrifice' comes from the Latin noun "sacrificium" and the verb "sacrificare" which mean "to make something sacred by giving it to a god." In the article on the importance of a god, we know that the people of the past made many sacrifices, be it human or animal, to their gods, which may seem cruel and shocking to many people. That brings us to the big question: Why is there a need for sacrifice??

For the Aryans of ancient India, sacrifices (yajnas) based on fire were given to the gods to gain divine favour for wealth and power and to help maintain the cosmic balance 'rita' - demons sought to destroy the perfect balance. They also believed that giving sacrifices of animals to the gods would please the gods and there might therefore, be an increase in cattle, food, prosperity and victory in war.

The Maya believed that offering sacrifice to the gods was one way in which they could connect with the world of the supernatural. The sacrifice offered ranged from simple offerings of food to human sacrifices. However, sacrifice was made not only for the gods. When a new king ascended the throne or a building was dedicated, human sacrifice was essential to mark the occasion. These human sacrifices were usually prisoners-of-war. The Maya believed that even the gods sacrificed themselves so as to create the world that we live in today!

Like the Aryans, the Greeks sacrificed animals as offerings to the gods, in hope that they would be rewarded by them. Animal sacrifices were burned, as the Greeks believed that the animals' flesh would turn into smoke, which would then ascend to the heavens where the gods lived. These sacrifices were made during the day or night. Sacrifices made in the day, usually in the morning, were made to honour the friendly gods. They involved burning certain parts of the animal, of which the unburnt parts were eaten. After the sacrifices were made, the people danced and sang.

Sacrifices made at night involved instead, the burning of the whole animal. Sacrifices made at night were made to keep the gods happy and prevent any misfortunes in the lives of the people. The Greeks were afraid that they would anger the gods if the give the gods what they wanted and there would be havoc in the country.

Thus, in the above examples, we can tell generally that sacrifices were made to please the gods so that the people could enjoy peace and prosperity. In today's society then, do people still offer sacrifices to the god/gods they worship? For what purposes? On deeper thought, would it seem to you that the people of today have a different concept of the term 'sacrifice', in that they 'sacrifice themselves' (their time, their money etc) for their loved ones instead?

Some examples of animals that were used in the religious sacrifices