Gloria in excelsis Deo
"Gloria in excelsis Deo" (Latin for "Glory to God in the highest") is a Christian hymn known also as the Greater Doxology (as distinguished from the "Minor Doxology" or Gloria Patri) and the Angelic Hymn[1][2]/Hymn of the Angels.[3] The name is often abbreviated to Gloria in Excelsis or simply Gloria.
The hymn begins with the words that the
An article by David Flusser links the text of the verse in Luke with ancient Jewish liturgy.[5]
History
Gloria in excelsis Deo is an example of the psalmi idiotici ("private psalms", i.e. compositions by individuals in imitation of the biblical Psalter) that were popular in the 2nd and 3rd centuries. Other surviving examples of this lyric poetry are the Te Deum and the Phos Hilaron.[4] In the 4th century it became part of morning prayers, and is still recited in the Byzantine Rite Orthros service.[1]
The Latin translation is traditionally attributed to Hilary of Poitiers (c. 300–368), who may have learned it while in the East (359–360); as such, it is part of a loose tradition of early Latin translations of the scripture known as the Vetus Latina.[4] The Vulgate Latin translation of the Bible was commissioned only in 382.[6]
The Latin hymn thus uses the word excelsis to translate the Greek word ὑψίστοις – hypsístois (the highest) in Luke 2:14:
Present-day Greek Orthodox text
Δόξα Σοι τῷ δείξαντι τὸ φῶς. |
Glory to you who have shown us the light. |
Present-day Coptic text
Ⲙⲁⲣⲉⲛϩⲱⲥ ⲛⲉⲙ ⲛⲓⲁⲅⲅⲉⲗⲟⲥ: ϫⲉ ⲟⲩⲱ̀ⲟⲩ ⲙ̀Ⲫ̀ⲛⲟⲩϯ ϧⲉⲛ ⲛⲏⲧϭⲟⲥⲓ: ⲛⲉⲙ ⲟⲩϩⲓⲣⲏⲛⲏ ϩⲓϫⲉⲛ ⲡⲓⲕⲁϩⲓ: ⲛⲉⲙ ⲟⲩϯⲙⲁϯ ϧⲉⲛ ⲛⲓⲣⲱⲙⲓ. |
Let us praise with the angels saying, “Glory to God in the highest, peace on earth, and goodwill toward men.” |
Present-day Latin text
Glória in excélsis Deo |
Glory to God in the highest, |
Liturgical use
Byzantine Rite
In the
The Greater Doxology is used in the
Alexandrine Rite
In the
Roman Rite
By contrast, in the Roman Rite this hymn is not included in the Liturgy of the Hours, but is sung or recited at Mass, after the Kyrie, on Sundays outside of Lent and Advent, during the octaves of Easter and Christmas, and on solemnities and feasts.[1]
In Masses celebrated in accordance with the 1962
A tradition recorded in the
Anglican Usage
Anglican
In the Church of England's 1549 edition of the Book of Common Prayer, it was used in the same position as in the Roman Rite but was later moved to the end of the service, immediately before the concluding blessing.[1] Revisions to the Prayer Book produced the 1552 prayer book and later the 1662 prayer book, but this placement was retained by the Anglican Communion until the 20th century. Common Worship provides two Orders, one of which places the hymn in the earlier position.
The 1789 Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America
Protestant Usage
Lutheran
The hymn is also used in the
Gloria in the Mass ordinary
Gloria in excelsis Deo et in terra pax hominibus bonae voluntatis. Laudamus te, benedicimus te, adoramus te, glorificamus te, gratias agimus tibi propter magnam gloriam tuam, Domine Deus, Rex caelestis, Deus Pater omnipotens. |
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to people of good will. We praise you, we bless you, we adore you, we glorify you, we give you thanks for your great glory, Lord God, heavenly King, O God almighty Father. |
Associated ceremonial
Roman Rite
In the Tridentine Mass, the priest is instructed, when saying the opening phrase "Gloria in excelsis Deo", to extend his hands and raise them to shoulder height and, at the word "Deo", to join them and bow his head. He is then to continue the recitation standing erect with hands joined and bowing his head to the cross at the words "Adoramus te", "Gratias agimus tibi", "Iesu Christe" (twice), and "Suscipe deprecationem nostram", and at the concluding phrase (as also at the concluding phrase of the Nicene Creed and the Sanctus), to make a large sign of the cross on himself.[17] At High Mass the priest intones the opening phrase, while the deacon and subdeacon stand behind him; then they join him at the altar and together with him quietly recite the rest of the hymn,[18] after which they sit down and wait for the choir to finish its singing of the same text.
The Roman Missal as revised in 1970 simplifies this, saying: "The Gloria is intoned by the priest or, if appropriate, by a cantor or by the choir; but it is sung either by everyone together, or by the people alternately with the choir, or by the choir alone. If not sung, it is to be recited either by all together or by two parts of the congregation responding one to the other."[19] No particular ritual gestures are prescribed.
Byzantine Rite
In the usage of the
When the Lesser Doxology is called for, it is simply said by the
In
Musical settings
The Gloria has been and still is sung to a wide variety of melodies. Modern scholars have catalogued well over two hundred of them used in the medieval church.
Almost all polyphonic settings of the Mass include the Gloria. In addition, there are a number of settings of the Gloria alone, including:
- Antonio Vivaldi, who wrote two: the widely recorded RV 589, and the less famous RV 588
- George Frideric Handel, whose setting for solo soprano and strings was rediscovered in 2001: Gloria[22]
- Camille Saint-Saëns
- Francis Poulenc: Gloria
- William Walton
- John Rutter: Gloria
- Mike Anderson: Gloria
- Karl Jenkins, who interpolates other texts alongside the standard Gloria text: Gloria
A paraphrase of the text in German, the early Lutheran hymn Allein Gott in der Höh sei Ehr, has also been commonly set to music, in the form of chorale preludes or as part of larger compositions. The free paraphrase "Ich lobe meinen Gott, der aus der Tiefe mich holt" became a 1979 hymn of the genre Neues Geistliches Lied, similarly "Ich lobe meinen Gott von ganzem Herzen" the same year.
The popular Christmas carol "Angels We Have Heard on High" is derived from the beginning of the Gloria, which it uses as a refrain. It has been translated into several languages.
The Gloria features prominently in the popular song "Silence" by Delerium, a trance song as well as in Gina's and Elvira's theme from the Scarface soundtrack.[23][failed verification]
The first phrase is also present in Bladee and Ecco2K's track '5 Star Crest (4 Vattenrum)' from their collaborative album Crest.
Some official English translations
Book of Common Prayer (1662)[24]
Glory be to God on high
And in earth peace, goodwill towards men,
We praise thee, we bless thee,
we worship thee, we glorify thee,
we give thanks to thee, for thy great glory
O Lord God, heavenly King,
God the Father Almighty.
O Lord, the only-begotten Son, Jesu Christ;
O Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father,
that takest away the sins of the world,
have mercy upon us.
Thou that takest away the sins of the world,
have mercy upon us.
Thou that takest away the sins of the world,
receive our prayer.
Thou that sittest at the right hand of God the Father,
have mercy upon us.
For thou only art holy;
thou only art the Lord;
thou only, O Christ,
with the Holy Ghost,
art most high
in the glory of God the Father.
Amen.
Glory to God in the highest
and peace to his people on earth.
Lord God, heavenly King,
Almighty God and Father,
we worship you, we give you thanks,
we praise you for your glory.
Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father,
Lord God, Lamb of God,
you take away the sin of the world:
have mercy on us;
You are seated at the right hand of the Father:
receive our prayer.
For you alone are the Holy One,
you alone are the Lord,
you alone are the Most High,
Jesus Christ,
with the Holy Spirit,
in the glory of God the Father. Amen.
Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople New Rome, Archdiocese of Thyateira and Great Britain[27]
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill among men.
We praise you, we bless you, we worship you, we glorify you, we give you thanks for your great glory.
Lord, King, God of heaven, Father almighty: Lord, only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ and Holy Spirit.
Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, who take away the sin of the world, have mercy on us; you take away the sins of the world.
Receive our prayer, you who sit on the right hand of the Father, and have mercy on us.
For you alone are holy, you alone are Lord, Jesus Christ, to the glory of God the Father. Amen.
See also
Notes
- ^ This verse follows the Byzantine text-type, which has εὐδοκία in the nominative case and thus translates to good will or favour. Modern critical editions of the New Testament used by scholars and most Bible societies follow the Alexandrian text-type, which has εὐδοκίας with a sigma at the end, which makes it a genitive case and renders it of good will or of favour.[7]
References
- ^ ISBN 978-0-19-280290-3), article Gloria in Excelsis
- ^ "Encyclopædia Britannica". Britannica.com. Retrieved 2012-03-11.
- ^ ""Hymn of the Angels", North American Diocese of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church".
- ^ a b c d e Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. .
- ^ English translation of an article that originally appeared in Unser Vater: Juden und Christen im Gespräch über die Bibel: Festschrift für Otto Michel zum 60. Geburststag (ed. Otto Betz, Martin Hengel, and Peter Schmidt; Leiden: Brill, 1963), 129–152
- ^ "Encyclopædia Britannica Online, article Vulgate". Britannica.com. Retrieved 2012-03-11.
- ^ "Luke 2:14 Text Analysis". Biblehub.com. Retrieved 4 December 2021.
- ^ "ΟΡΘΡΟΣ". Analogion.gr. 2007-11-14. Archived from the original on 2012-07-07. Retrieved 2012-03-11.
- ^ "Ορθροσ Εν Ταισ Κυριακαισ". Analogion.gr. Archived from the original on 2012-07-07. Retrieved 2012-03-11.
- ^ "The Service of the Sunday Orthros". Goarch.org. Retrieved 2012-03-11.
- ^ "The Praise of the Angels". Retrieved 2023-01-19.
- ^ "Texts for Order of Mass Settings | USCCB".
- ^ a b The Divine Liturgies of Saints Basil, Gregory, and Cyril (PDF). Tallahassee, Florida, USA: St. Mary & St. George Coptic Orthodox Church. 2001. pp. 29, 210.
- ^ AGPIA (PDF). Sydney, Australia: Coptic Orthodox Publication and Translation. 2000. p. 24.
- ^ Murphy, Patrick L. [translator] (1960). The New Rubrics of the Roman Breviary and Missal. Surrey Hills, New South Wales, Australia: Catholic Press Newspaper Co. p. 81.
{{cite book}}
:|first1=
has generic name (help) - ^ "The Gloria in Excelsis". December 24, 2016.
- ^ Ritus servandus in celebratione Missae, IV, 3 (page LVI of the 1962 typical edition)
- ^ Ritus servandus in celebratione Missae, IV, 7 (page LVI of the 1962 typical edition)
- ^ "General Instruction of the Roman Missal, 53" (PDF). Acbc.catholic.org.au. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 20, 2008. Retrieved 2012-03-11.
- ^ "Definitions for Medieval Christian Liturgy". Yale.edu. Archived from the original on 2009-09-05. Retrieved 2012-03-11.
- ^ See, for instance, page 216 of the 1862 printing by Pustet
- ^ "The Newly Discovered Musical Composition by Handel". Gfhandel.org. Archived from the original on 2012-02-06. Retrieved 2012-03-11.
- ^ Rivaldo, Joey. "Delerium – Silence 2004". about.com. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2008-11-10.
- ^ "The Book of Common Prayer". Cofe.anglican.org. Archived from the original on 2010-11-26. Retrieved 2012-03-11.
- ^ Felix Just, S.J. "Roman Catholic Order of Mass in English (1975–2011)". Catholic-resources.org. Archived from the original on 2011-07-02. Retrieved 2012-03-11.
- ^ "Hymnal 1982: according to the use of the Episcopal Church". Hymnary.org. Retrieved 2012-03-11.
- ^ "Matins for Sundays and Feasts". Anastasis.org.uk. 2008-11-03. Retrieved 2012-03-11.
External links
- Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. .