Benediction

Benediction is a short prayer for help and blessings from God. They are usually delivered at the end of a worship service. Roman Catholics have many more benedictions, usually with many candles (even poor churches have at least ten), than Protestants, who only have a few simple benedictions. A kind of benediction that is often done in both Roman Catholic and Protestant churches is for the worship leader to raise his hands and say the Biblical Priestly Blessing (Numbers 6:23–27). This was made popular by Martin Luther in his Deutsche Messe (German Mass). It is a tradition in most Lutheran Churches. F. Scott Fitzgerald also wrote a short story called Benediction in 1920.