The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 12 letter word CANONISATION
I've seen this crossword clue in The Daily Telegraph
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More clues leading to the result CANONISATION
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "holy promotion" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case holy promotion = canonisation.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does CANONISATION mean?
CANONISATION noun- The final process or decree (following beatification) by which the name of a deceased person is placed in the catalogue (canon) of saints and commended to perpetual veneration and invocation.
- The state of being canonized or sainted.