Sacrilege (noun)

1. An action or behavior that is disrespectful or offensive to something considered sacred.
2. A violation or misuse of something considered sacred.

Origin:

The word "sacrilege" comes from the latin word "sacrilegium" which is composed of "sacer" meaning "sacred" and "legere" meaning "to steal" or "to take away".

Examples:

1. The burning of the church was considered a sacrilege by the community.
2. It was sacrilege to enter the temple with shoes on.
3. The desecration of the tomb was a sacrilege.
4. The theft of the sacred artifacts was considered a sacrilege.
5. The sacrilege of the holy book was punishable by excommunication.