Formal Act or Ritual

Formal act or ritual crossword clue. Quick crossword that found in Daily Mail UK on 5 Augustus 2017. 8 letters.

Answer: CEREMONY

A ceremony is an event of ritual significance, performed on a special occasion. The word may be of Etruscan origin, via the Latin caerimonia.

Ceremonies may have a physical display or theatrical component: dance, a procession, the laying on of hands. A declaratory verbal pronouncement may explain or cap the occasion, for instance:

I now pronounce you husband and wife.
I swear to serve and defend the nation …
I declare open the games of …
I/We dedicate this … … to …
Both physical and verbal components of a ceremony may become part of a liturgy.