church blessing
Clergy's spoken grace
A church blessing is a formal benediction pronounced by clergy, asking for divine favor upon people, objects, or endeavors.
Churches bless marriages, newborns, homes, animals, and harvests.
The term also refers to official church approval or sanction: The project had the church's blessing before it began.
- benedictionFormal spoken blessing
- laying on of handsRitual healing through touch
- sanctuaryProtected sacred space
- congregationAssembled group of worshippers
- altarSacred ritual table
holy water · holy · sacred · sign of the cross · prayer · grace · sacrament · hymn · priest · pastor · steeple · pews · stained glass · baptism · anointing · communion · reverent · gospel
- weddingswedding, wedding dress, wedding cake, wedding ceremony, bride
- wedding ritualswedding ceremony, wedding vows, wedding prayer, nuptial mass, exchange of vows
- EpiphanyEpiphany, Magi, three kings, Balthazar, three wise men
- Orthodox weddingcrowning, crowns, wedding crowns, wedding crown, common cup
church blessingcurse
Invoked harm through words
malediction · anathema · imprecation · damnation · execration
church blessingexcommunication
Formal barring from sacraments
anathema · interdict · shunning · denunciation · defrocking
church blessingdesecration
Violating something sacred
profanation · sacrilege · defilement · satanic ritual · black mass
church, blessing, churches, churchly, churchman, churchyard, bless, blessed, blessings