Invocation

Invocation is the act of calling upon a higher power, person, or principle for help, blessing, or inspiration. The term derives from Latin invocatio, from invocare “to call upon, appeal to.” In secular contexts, invocation can refer to any form of calling forth aid or support from a non-corporeal source or even from a concept or idea.

Religious and ceremonial use: In many faiths, an invocation is a prayer or rite opening a service, ceremony, or meeting, inviting divine presence or guidance. It may be directed to a deity, spirit, or sacred principle. Cultural traditions use invocations in rites, rituals, or during the consecration of buildings and artifacts.

Literary and rhetorical use: In classical and modern writing, an invocation is a direct address to a muse, deity, or imagined force, intended to inspire or legitimize a creation. It can also be a formal element within epic poetry.

Legal and formal use: In contracts and law, invocation describes the act of appealing to a clause, provision, or right; to invoke a remedy, exemption, or protective measure, or to initiate a formal procedure.

Computing and technology: In computing, invocation refers to the act of initiating a subroutine, method, function, or program. The program or user “invokes” a routine by providing inputs, after which control transfers to that routine; the routine returns results. In command-line interfaces, invoking a command starts a process.

See also: invocation clause; ritual invocation; function invocation; API invocation.