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A ritual is actually the words of a "rite", which are said as a part of a ceremony which is a set of actions, performed mainly for their symbolic value, which is prescribed by a religion or by the traditions of a community. There has been confusion over the terms "ritual" and "ceremony" in popular parlance. For the purpose of this article, the popular use of the word "ritual" meaning "ceremonial" will be used. Note that such usage should not be used in academic writing.