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 (). 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.