opening prayers
Ceremony's first words
Opening prayers are the prayers that begin a religious service, ceremony, or formal gathering.
They set a tone of reverence or solemnity, often invoking divine blessing or guidance for what follows.
In secular contexts like legislative sessions or public meetings, an opening prayer may be called an invocation: The chaplain delivered the opening prayer before Congress convened.
- call to worshipSummons to religious gathering
- invocationCalling upon higher authority
- dear LordShocked invocation
- blessingPrayer seeking divine favor
- graceEffortless beauty of motion
supplication · devotion · holy spirit · congregation · church service · pulpit · sermon · amen · reverence · sacred · worship · hymn · altar · minister · priest · gathering · silence · folded hands
- Rosaryrosary beads, Hail Mary, Our Father, decades, decade
- Passoverseder plate, Passover, matzah, seder, charoset
opening prayersbenediction
Formal spoken blessing
final blessing · dismissal · closing hymn · recessional · valediction
opening prayerscommissioning
Ordering work to be made
sending · absolution · last rites · adjournment · closing ceremonies
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