benedictions
Prayers bestowing grace
Benedictions are formal blessings or expressions of good wishes, typically given at the close of a religious service or ceremony.
A priest offers a benediction; a commencement speaker closes with words of benediction.
The term carries a tone of solemnity and ritual: The congregation bowed their heads for the final benediction.
By extension, any warm parting wish might be called a benediction.
Address to deity
- invocationCalling upon higher authority
- graceEffortless beauty of motion
- absolutionFormal clearing of guilt
- amenSolemn spoken agreement
sacrament · liturgy · ordination · consecration · anointing · vespers · mass · sermon
Act of starting
- graduationCompleting academic requirements formally
- closingFinal stage of something
- farewellLeave-taking expression
- sendoffFarewell event or gesture
ceremony · convocation · dedication · inauguration · eulogy · toast · valediction · pronouncement
Kindly, generous spirit
- well-wishesExpressions desiring another's happiness
- regardsGood wishes sent
- salutationsFormal words of welcome
- felicitationsExpressions of good wishes
warmth · kindness · affirmation · encouragement · approval · favor · gratitude · thanksgiving
prayer
Address to deity
- invocationCalling upon higher authority
- graceEffortless beauty of motion
- absolutionFormal clearing of guilt
amen · sacrament · liturgy · ordination · consecration · anointing · vespers · mass · sermon · altar
commencement
Act of starting
- graduationCompleting academic requirements formally
- closingFinal stage of something
- farewellLeave-taking expression
sendoff · ceremony · convocation · dedication · inauguration · eulogy · toast · valediction · pronouncement · dismissal
goodwill
Kindly, generous spirit
- well-wishesExpressions desiring another's happiness
- regardsGood wishes sent
- salutationsFormal words of welcome
felicitations · warmth · kindness · affirmation · encouragement · approval · favor · gratitude · thanksgiving · tribute
- ceremonieswedding ceremony, wedding, weddings, graduation, graduations
- oratorypublic speaking, speeches, oration, orations, addresses
- choral musicchoral music, choral works, choral arrangements, choral arrangement, choir arrangements
- church-statechurch-state, separation, church-state separation, establishment clause, religious accommodation
- devotionsdaily devotions, daily devotion, devotional, devotionals, devotions
- prayersOur Father, morning prayers, Lord's Prayer, daily prayers, evening prayers
benedictionscurses
Sworn oaths or hexes
maledictions · imprecations · anathemas · execrations · hexes
benedictionsexcommunications
Expulsions from religious membership
condemnations · censures · banishments · repudiations · anathemas