Editing Invocation (section)

==Historical background==
Invocation has played a central role in religious, spiritual, and magical practices across diverse cultures and historical periods. Its origins can be traced to ancient civilizations, where invoking deities or supernatural forces was integral to both public rituals and private devotion. As a supplication or [[prayer]], an invocation calls upon [[God]], a god, or a [[goddess]], either in a pre-established form or in the practitioner's own words. An example of a pre-established text for an invocation is the [[Lord's Prayer]].{{sfnp|Gallusz|2017|loc=ch. 3}}

In [[ancient Mesopotamia]], invocation was deeply embedded in religious ceremonies and daily life. The [[Sumer]]ians, [[Akkadian Empire|Akkadians]], and [[Babylon]]ians invoked their gods through [[hymn]]s, prayers, and ritual offerings to secure protection, favor, and guidance. Texts such as the ''[[Enūma Eliš]]'', the Babylonian [[creation myth]], begin with invocations to the gods, emphasizing their foundational role in maintaining cosmic order. Many preserved texts, written in [[Cuneiform (script)|cuneiform]] characters on clay tablets, are addressed to [[Shamash]], [[Ishtar]], and other deities.{{sfnp|Dalley|2008}}

In [[ancient Egypt]], invocation was central to both state-sponsored and personal religious practices. [[Pharaoh]]s and priests invoked deities during temple rituals, often accompanied by offerings, music, and recitations from sacred texts such as the ''[[Book of the Dead]]''. These invocations were believed to maintain ''[[ma’at]]'' (cosmic balance) and ensure the favor of the gods for both the living and the dead.{{sfnp|Assmann|2001}}

In [[ancient Greece]], invocation was a vital element in both public and private worship. The ''[[Orphic Hymns]]'', a collection of eighty-seven ancient Greek invocations addressed to various deities, were attributed to the mythical poet [[Orpheus]]. Poets such as [[Homer]] and [[Hesiod]] famously began their epic works with invocations to the [[Muses]], seeking divine inspiration to recount their tales. Religious ceremonies and [[oracles]], like those at [[Oracle#Pythia at Delphi|Delphi]], involved invoking gods such as [[Apollo]] for prophecy and guidance. Invocation also played a role in the [[mystery religion]]s, including the [[Eleusinian Mysteries]], where initiates called upon [[Demeter]] and [[Persephone]] during secret rites aimed at securing blessings and insights into the afterlife.{{sfnp|Burkert|1985}}

In [[ancient Rome]], the adaptation of Greek religious practices retained invocation as a key feature. Roman religious rituals, including [[augury]] and [[sacrifice]]s, required the formal invocation of deities such as [[Jupiter (god)|Jupiter]], [[Mars (mythology)|Mars]], and [[Venus (mythology)|Venus]]. Legal and political ceremonies also incorporated invocations, emphasizing the close relationship between religion and governance in Roman society.{{sfnp|Beard|1998}}

In [[early Christianity]], invocation evolved into formalized prayers and [[liturgies]], often directed toward God, [[Jesus Christ]], or the [[Holy Spirit]]. Early Christians also invoked saints and martyrs, believing they could intercede with God on behalf of the faithful. Invocation was particularly significant in sacraments such as the [[Eucharist]], where prayers called for the transformation of bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ.{{sfnp|Ferguson|1999}} This practice expanded during the [[Middle Ages]] with the rise of Marian devotion and the invocation of the [[Virgin Mary]] in prayers like the [[Hail Mary]].

In [[Islam]], one of the earliest treaties on invocations, attributed to a scholar named [[Khalid ibn Yazid|Khālid ibn Yazīd]], has survived on a papyrus booklet dated 880-881.{{sfnp|Tillier|2022}}

Invocation has also been central in mystical and esoteric traditions. In [[Hermeticism]] and [[Neoplatonism]], invocation was a key practice in [[theurgy]], where practitioners sought to ascend to [[Seven heavens|higher spiritual realms]] by invoking divine intelligences. Texts in the [[Hermetica|Hermetic corpus]] describe rituals where practitioners call upon cosmic forces for enlightenment and [[Divine embodiment|union with the divine]].{{sfnp|Fowden|1993}} In medieval [[grimoire]]s, invocation was used to summon [[angel]]s or spirits for magical purposes, often with complex rituals and protective incantations.