Sacrilege
Etymology
From Latin "sacrilegium," combining "sacer" (sacred) with "legere" (to gather, to steal). The original sense was literally the theft of sacred objects from a temple; it broadened over time to any desecration of the holy. It is now used loosely for violating anything deeply revered.
noun · /SAK-ri-lij/
The violation or profaning of something regarded as sacred.
What it names
An offense defined by its target — the sacred — covering the misuse of holy objects, places, or persons, not merely disrespectful speech.
Example
Painting over the medieval fresco struck the congregation as sheer sacrilege.
Related idea
Often paired with blasphemy, but the two differ: blasphemy is irreverent speech about the sacred, while sacrilege is the mistreatment of sacred things, places, or rites — a matter of deed rather than word.