@TRiG ouch - that entry is hard to comprehend even for natives. Here's my attempt for a translation:
Holy as derived from "whole" in the sense of complete, not only unhurt but also invulnerable, untouchable but also simply good, morally perfect and immaculate. Its roots are in the Roman culture where it was meant to be withdrawn of common usage, devoted to a higher scope (sacer, sanctus). In part it is the Old Testament term (kadosch), referring to God, who's differentness from all earthly in dignity beyond all comparison also means its dedication to God and sanctifying in God.
The last part is no less confusing in German, really.
Holy, as derived from "salvation, completeness", meaning in it's completeness not only undamaged, but invincible, untouchable, and thus generalized good, morally complete, unblemished. Rooting partly from roman culture, where it described "withdrawn from common usage, dedicated to higher{?mb. noble} purpose" (sacer, sanctus), partly in the old testament, where the term (kadosch), as used by god, describes his "differenceness" {missing a better word} from all earthly,
his exaltation and incomparableness, or belonging to god, as well as dedicatedness {synon. used only for} to god. Compare [...]
the stuff in curly braces is something like notes.
What is the meaning of the word holy from a Christian viewpoint?
I observed that the term is used for
the gods, especially the Holy God (Father) and Holy Ghost;
persons, such as the holy apostles, Holy St. Florian, etc.;
buildings like churches;
organisations (the holy church);
relics and feti...
> Heilig, von Heil, also soviel wie in seiner Vollkommenheit nicht nur noch unverletzt, sondern auch unverletzlich, unantastbar, dann soviel wie schlechthin gut, sittlich vollkommen, makellos. Seine Wurzeln hat dieser Begriff teils im römischen Kultus, wo er das dem gemeinen Gebrauch Entzogene, höhern Zwecken Gewidmete (sacer, sanctus), teils im Alttestamentlichen, wo der Ausdruck (kadosch), von Gott ausgesagt,
> dessen Unterschiedenheit von allem Irdischen, seine Unvergleichlichkeit und Erhabenheit, von Irdischem ausgesagt, dessen Zugehörigkeit zu Gott, Gottgeweihtheit bedeutet. Vgl. Baudissin, Studien zur Religionsgeschichte, Bd. 2 (Leipz. 1878); Issel, Der Begriff der Heiligkeit im Neuen Testament (Leiden 1887).
> Origin of WHOLE: Middle English hool healthy, unhurt, entire, from Old English hāl; akin to Old High German heil healthy, unhurt, Old Norse heill, Old Church Slavic cělŭ
the adjective comes closer to the meaning of heile, so that was on purpose.
In fact there is no good 1:1 translation of this incomprehensible German source but as soon as you try to make it sensible you add you own interpretation, which would be bad in this peculiar case.
Too bad there is no English edition of the Meyer's Lexikon to just look it up.
> holy (adj.) Old English halig "holy, consecrated, sacred, godly," from Proto-Germanic *hailaga- (cognates: Old Norse heilagr, Old Frisian helich "holy," Old Saxon helag, Middle Dutch helich, Old High German heilag, German heilig, Gothic hailags "holy"). Adopted at conversion for Latin sanctus.
> Primary (pre-Christian) meaning is not possible to determine, but probably it was "that must be preserved whole or intact, that cannot be transgressed or violated," and connected with Old English hal (see health) and Old High German heil "health, happiness, good luck" (source of the German salutation Heil)...
What is the meaning of the word holy from a Christian viewpoint?
I observed that the term is used for
the gods, especially the Holy God (Father) and Holy Ghost;
persons, such as the holy apostles, Holy St. Florian, etc.;
buildings like churches;
organisations (the holy church);
relics and feti...
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