Benediction: Encyclopedia - Benediction

Benediction

A benediction is a short invocation for divine help, blessing and guidance, usually after a church worship service.

Judaic ceremonies at the temple of Jerusalem had ritualised benedictions. From the earliest church Christians have accorded them ceremonial significance, particularly to end a ritual. Protestants abandoned many of the benedictions of the Catholic Church, including the apostolic benediction by the pope and his delegates, and benediction of the dying.

In the Roman Catholic Church and Anglican Communion, Benediction usually refers to the Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. This involves the display of the Eucharist in a monstrance set upon the altar. A significant portion of this liturgy includes singing, prayer (particularly the chanting of the Divine Praises), and the silent worship of Christ's presence in the Holy Eucharist. At the end of this liturgy, the celebrant holds the monstrance using a humeral veil he wears over the shoulders and covering his hands. The celebrant blesses the congregation with the displayed Eucharist by tracing the sign of the cross with the monstrance held steadily upright before him. This liturgy can be a rite unto itself but is most often celebrated at the close of other liturgies.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Benediction", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki