noun
benediction; blessing
A formal prayer or blessing, often used in religious or ceremonial contexts.
司祭が最後に祝祷を述べた。
The priest gave the benediction at the end.
結婚式で祝祷を受ける。
Receive a blessing at the wedding ceremony.
祝福 is a more common, general term for blessing or congratulation, while 祝祷 specifically refers to a formal prayer of blessing.
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.