Benediction of Abbots

Benediction Of Abbots was formerly styled ordination. The second Council of Nicaea permitted abbots who had received the benediction to admit their own monks to the tonsure and to the four minor orders; but in after-ages they presumed so far as to extend the exercise of it to others than their own monks, so that the Council of Trent (sess. 23, can. 10) reduced it to its original terms. This benediction of abbots differs from ordination chiefly in two points: first, that it is done upon the request of the monastery, whereas ordination is conferred upon the demand of the Church ("Postulat Sancta Mater"); secondly, because it is not accompanied by any invocation of the Holy Spirit. SEE ABBOT.