taurobolium
noun
tau·ro·bo·li·um
ˌtȯrəˈbōlēəm
variants or less commonly tauroboly
tȯˈräbəlē
plural taurobolia
-ˈbōlēə
also taurobolies : a ceremony in the cult of certain Mediterranean deities (as Cybele and Mithras) in which worshipers were baptized with the blood of a sacrificed bull compare criobolium
Word History
Etymology
Late Latin taurobolium, from Greek taurobolion, from tauros bull + -bolion (from ballein to throw)