Start to pray, with a deity and a temple (6)
I believe the answer is:
pagoda
'temple' is the definition.
(I know that pagoda is a type of temple)
'start to pray with a deity and a' is the wordplay.
'start to' suggests taking the first letters.
'with' is a charade indicator (letters next to each other).
'deity' becomes 'god' (a deity is a god or divine being).
'and' is a charade indicator (letters next to each other).
The first letter of 'pray' is 'p'.
'p'+'a'+'god'+'a'='PAGODA'
(Other definitions for pagoda that I've seen before include "Buddhist tower with several stories" , "Asian temple with up-turned eaves" , "Eastern temple, usually a tower" , "place for devotees?" , "place of worship" .)