veneration

veneration
    n 1: a feeling of profound respect for someone or something;
         "the fear of God"; "the Chinese reverence for the dead";
         "the French treat food with gentle reverence"; "his respect
         for the law bordered on veneration" [syn: {fear},
         {reverence}, {awe}, {veneration}]
    2: religious zeal; the willingness to serve God [syn:
       {idolatry}, {devotion}, {veneration}, {cultism}]
    

Veneration \Ven`er*a"tion\, n. [L. veneratio: cf. F.
   v['e]n['e]ration.]
   The act of venerating, or the state of being venerated; the
   highest degree of respect and reverence; respect mingled with
   awe; a feeling or sentiment excited by the dignity, wisdom,
   or superiority of a person, by sacredness of character, by
   consecration to sacred services, or by hallowed associations.
   [1913 Webster]

         We find a secret awe and veneration for one who moves
         about us in a regular and illustrious course of virtue.
                                                  --Addison.
   [1913 Webster]

   Syn: Awe; reverence; respect. See {Reverence}.
        [1913 Webster]
    

58 Moby Thesaurus words for "veneration":
      admiration, adoration, apotheosis, appreciation, approbation,
      approval, awe, breathless adoration, churchgoing, co-worship,
      conformity, consideration, courtesy, cult, cultism, cultus,
      deference, deification, devotedness, devotion, devoutness, dulia,
      dutifulness, duty, esteem, estimation, exaggerated respect, faith,
      faithfulness, favor, great respect, hero worship, high regard,
      homage, honor, hyperdulia, idolatry, idolization, latria,
      love of God, observance, pietism, piety, piousness, prestige,
      prostration, regard, religion, religionism, religiousness, respect,
      reverence, reverential regard, theism, transcendent wonder,
      worship, worshipfulness, worshiping