Blessing and dismissal

21 Blessing and dismissal

Although it may be argued that, after the blessing experienced in receiving the consecrated bread and wine of the Eucharist, no extra words of blessing at the conclusion of the service can add much to the service, a blessing by the president at the end of the liturgy had established itself before the eighth century. Thomas Cranmer did not challenge the convention and included in 1549 the text that has remained standard ever since. In its Common Worship form it is…