Benediction

For other uses, seeBenediction (disambiguation).

Icon ofJesus Christ PantokratorbyTheophanes the Cretan.His right hand is raised in benediction.

Abenediction(Latin:bene,'well' +dicere,'to speak') is a shortinvocationfor divine help,blessingand guidance, usually at the end ofworshipservice. It can also refer to a specificChristianreligious service including the exposition of theeucharistichostin themonstranceand the blessing of the people with it.

Christianity

Benediction given by a Lutheran priest at the Lutheran Cathedral of St. Peter and Paul in Moscow

Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament at Sacred Heart Chaplaincy,Cagayan de Oro,Philippines.

From theearliest church,Christiansadopted ceremonial benedictions into their liturgical worship, particularly at the end of a service. Such benedictions have been regularly practiced both in theChristian EastandWest.Among the benedictions of theRoman Catholic Church,include theApostolic Benedictionmade by thePopeand his delegates, and the"last blessing"of the dying. TheAnglican Churchretained the principle of benediction after theProtestant Reformation,and as a result, the benediction or blessing ends most Anglican, as well asMethodist,services of worship.

A common form of benediction in Baptist and liturgical Protestant churches is for the worship leader to raise his hands and recite the words of the biblical Priestly Blessing (Numbers 6:24-26 KJV). This addition to theMasswas made by Martin Luther in hisDeutsche Messeand remains traditional in Lutheran Churches.Many Protestant denominations, such as theMethodist Church,incorporate the use of benedictions in the closing of theirchurch services.Such benedictions may be taken from Scripture, written by a church member, or a combination of the two.

An often complex and lengthy blessing before communion took place in the mass of theGallican Riteand in some French sees survived until the Gallican rites controversy when they were suppressed. Pope John Paul II, however, gave permission for these sees to restore this traditional element of their local rite.

In theEastern Orthodox Church,benedictions will occur at both the beginning and the end of each service, and there may be other benedictions during the course of the service. The final benediction (thedismissal) is the most important, and will often entail mention of thefeastorsaintbeing commemorated that day. Thepriestwill bless with his right hand, and thebishopwill bless with both hands. In both cases, the hand is held so that the fingers form the initialsIC XC(the abbreviation for "Jesus Christ" in Greek), and he traces theSign of the Crossin the air with his hand. If a bishop orabbotis holding hiscrozierwhile making the benediction, he will raise his right hand and trace the Sign of the Cross with both his crozier and right hand, crossing the one in front of the other. More solemn benedictions, such as that which comes at the end of theDivine Liturgy,will be made with ablessing crossrather than the hand.

Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament

Main article:Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament

One of the most generally popular services in the Roman Catholic Church is Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament, commonly referred to as Benediction and known in France as Salut and in Germany as Segen. It is also the custom of some high-church Anglican churches to hold this service. It is ordinarily an afternoon or evening devotion and consists in the singing of certainhymns,orlitanies,orcanticles,before theBlessed Sacrament,which is exposed upon the altar in amonstranceand is surrounded withcandles.At the end, the priest or deacon, his shoulders enveloped in a humeral veil, takes the monstrance into his hands and with it makes the sign of the cross in silence over the kneeling congregation. Benediction is often employed as a conclusion to other services, e.g.Vespers,Compline,Evensong,theStations of the Cross,but it is also still more generally treated as a rite complete in itself.

There is a good deal of diversity of usage in different countries with regard to details, but some of the elements are constant. The use ofincenseand wax candles, the singing of the "Tantum ergo"with its versicle and prayer, and theblessinggiven with the Blessed Sacrament are obligatory everywhere. In Rome, the only portion of the service which is to be regarded as strictly liturgical is the singing of the "Tantum ergo" and the giving of the Benediction which immediately follows. This idea is emphasized by the fact that in many Roman churches the celebrant, vested in cope and preceded by thurifer, acolytes, etc., only makes his entry into the sanctuary just before the "Tantum ergo" is begun. Preceding this, the Blessed Sacrament is exposed, informally, by a priest incottaandstole;and then choir and congregation are left to sing litanies and canticles, or to say prayers and devotions as the occasion may demand.

In English-speaking countries the service generally begins with the entry of the priest and his assistants in procession and with the singing of the "O Salutaris Hostia"as soon as the Blessed Sacrament is taken out of thetabernacle.In England the singing of the "O Salutaris" is enjoined in the "Ritus servandus",the code of procedure approved by a former synod of theProvince of Westminster.TheLitany of Our Lady,though usually printed after the "O Salutaris" and very generally sung at Benediction, is not obligatory. Further solemnity is often given to the service by the presence of deacon and subdeacon in dalmatics. When the bishop of the diocese officiates he uses mitre and crosier in the procession to the altar, and makes the sign of the cross over the people three times in giving the benediction. Otherwise, when the means for carrying out a more elaborate rite are not available, an informal service is permitted. The priest, wearing cotta and stole, simply opens the tabernacle door. Prayers and devotions are said or sung, and then the priest blesses those present with the veiled ciborium before the tabernacle door is again closed. The permission, general or special, of the bishop of the diocese is necessary for services where Benediction is given with the monstrance.

Judaism

Judaismdeveloped ritualised benedictions (Berachot) for use at theTemple of Jerusalem,and the home. The Hebrew verb (brkh) means 'to fall on one's knees'.TheseBerachotoften took the form of a blessing upon the fulfillment of amitzvah(divine commandment). The most important benediction was thePriestly Blessingpronounced by thekohanim(priests descended fromAaron), as found inNumbers 6:23–27.

Hinduism

Popularised byISKCON,benediction inHinduismusually refers toprayerssaid or sung sometimes during, before or after lunch, afternoon or any other preferred or chosen time.

In classical music and church music

• The Lord bless you and keep youbyPeter C. Lutkin,1900
• Y'varekh'kha adonai,from Part V of Sacred Service (Avodat Hakodesh) byErnest Bloch,1930-1933
• Opening Prayer,in Hebrew, a setting for baritone and orchestra composed byLeonard Bernsteinfor the reopening ofCarnegie Hall,1986
• The Lord bless you and keep youby John Rutter, 1981
• A Clare Benedictionby John Rutter, 1998

References in popular culture

• "Benediction"is the title of a short story byF. Scott Fitzgerald,published in 1920.
• "Benediction" is a track byHot NaturedandAli Love,released by the Hot Creations label.
• "Benediction" is the first track onThurston Moore's solo albumDemolished Thoughts.
• "Benediction" is a track onThe Weakerthans' third albumReconstruction Site.
• "Benediction" is the title of a novel byKent Haruf,published in 2013.
• "Benediction" is a track by August Alsina.
• "Benediction"is a Death Metal band from Birmingham, UK.