Benedictine

a follower of Sr. BeENeEpDIcT (q. v.). From the predominantly black color of their attire, they were sometimes called Black Monks. They must not be confounded with the Black Friars, who were Do mini cans. Benediction (from the Latin benedicere, literally, “‘to speak well of;” “to commend”), a solemn invocation of the Divine ble ing upon men or things. The ceremony in its simplest form may be considered almost coeval with the earliest expre ions of religious feeling. The Sabbath is said to have been ble ed. Christ “ took bread and ble ed it,” and “lifting up His hands,” ble ed His disciples. In the piace Church the custom gradually developed itself in various liturgical forms. In Protestant churches a form of benediction is used at the close of religious services. In the Roman Church a priestly benediction bas been defined as a formula of imperative prayer, which, in addition to the desire which it expre es, transmits a certain grace or virtue to the object over which it is pronounced.