BENEDICTION, in a general sense, the act of blessing, or giving praise to God, or returning thanks for his favours. Neither the ancient Jews nor the early Christians ever ate without a short prayer. The Jews are obliged to rehearse a hundred benedictions a-day; of which eighty are to be spoken in the morning. The first treatise of the first order in the Talmud, entitled Seraim, contains the form and order of the daily benedictions. Benedictions were likewise given among the ancient Jews, as well as Christians, by the imposition of hands. When at length the primitive simplicity of the Christian worship became corrupted by ceremony, they added the sign of the cross. The custom of receiving benediction by bowing the head before the bishops, is very ancient; and even emperors did not decline this mark of submission.