benediction; blessing
A formal prayer or blessing, often used in religious or ceremonial contexts.
The priest gave the benediction at the end.
Receive a blessing at the wedding ceremony.
Standard kanji spelling.
Alternate spelling using とう for 祷; less common but attested.
Compound of 祝 (しゅく, 'celebrate, bless') and 祷 (とう, 'pray'). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the spelling is conventionally associated with a formal prayer of blessing.