Hocus pocus (magic) derived from the Protoslavic word "kusiti", which is itself derived from Gothic "kausajn" meaning "to try", "to attempt". This may indicate that the wording belongs to the alchemy kitchen and court of Rudolf II, Holy Roman Emperor (1552 – 1612). Also, "hocus" may mean "to cheat" in Latin or a distorted form of the word "hoc", "this". Combination of the two words may give a sense, especially both meanings together "this attempt/experiment" and "cheated attempt/experiment". According to the Oxford English Dictionary the term originates from "hax pax max Deus adimax", a pseudo-Latin phrase used as a magical formula by conjurors.
Pax (liturgy) Pax (liturgy) In Christian liturgy, "the Pax" is an abbreviation of the Latin salutations ""pax vobis"" ("peace to you") or ""pax vobiscum"" ("peace with you"), which are used in the Catholic Mass and Lutheran Divine Service. Like the other liturgical salutations, "e. g.", ""Dominus vobiscum"", the "Pax" is of biblical origin. The Vulgate version of the Gospels contains such forms as ""veniet pax vestra"", ""pax vestra revertetur ad vos"" (literally, "may your peace return to you"; figuratively, "let your peace rest on you" or "may you be treated with the peace with which you treat others" ()), ""pax huic domui""