Gloria Patri (Glory be to the Father) - Early Christian Latin hymn (Lyrics & Translations)

Описание: Chant: “Gloria Patri, versió d'Óscar Esplá (Annex: La Festa o Misteri, versió actual)” by the Capella i Escolania del Misteri D´Elx («La Festa o Misteri d’Elx,» ℗ 2019 RockCD Records)

“Euntes ergo docete omnes gentes: baptizantes eos in nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti.” (‘Therefore, go forth and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit’) – Matthew 28:19

The “Gloria Patri” (‘Glory be to the Father’), also known as the “Doxologia Minor” (‘Lesser Doxology’), is a short hymn of praise to the Holy Trinity that has been an integral part of Christian liturgy since the early Church. Rooted in biblical traditions—such as Matthew 28:19 where Jesus commands baptism in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—it appears in early Christian texts from the 2nd and 3rd centuries, with Church Fathers like Tertullian, St. Hippolytus of Rome, and Origen of Alexandria all making reference to early forms of this doxology. Today, in addition to its extensive recitation during Mass and the Divine Office, it is also used in other devotions such as the Rosary.

In the 2nd century, early Christians began concluding prayers with short doxologies that, although initially directed primarily to God the Father, often “through” the Son and in concert “with” the Holy Spirit. Even if the precise theological terminology we use today had not been fully developed, it reflects the nascent development of Trinitarian theology during that period. By the 3rd century, these expressions evolved into more explicit Trinitarian formulas, emphasizing the co-equality and co-eternity of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in both Salvation and Church life. The 4th and 5th centuries saw this theological development formalized by ecumenical councils such as Nicaea (AD 325) and Constantinople (AD 381). These councils addressed controversies like Arianism, which questioned the divinity of Christ and the full divinity of each Person of the Trinity.

The outcome was a more formalized doctrine: one God in three coequal and coeternal persons—a formulation that became a cornerstone of Catholic (and Orthodox) theology. In the Eastern Orthodox and Byzantine traditions, a similar doxology exists—with slight variations in final wording but ultimately with the same meaning. The widespread use of the “Gloria Patri” was further endorsed by various councils and synods, including the Second Synod of Vasio in 529 AD, noted that the phrase “sicut erat in principio (...)” was already in use in Rome, the East, and Africa, and recommended its adoption in Gaul. ​By the 6th century, the Gloria Patri was firmly established in Christian liturgy, particularly in the Divine Office (Liturgy of the Hours) and in the recitation of psalms. Saint Benedict (480–547) prescribed its use in monastic psalmody, ensuring its deep-rooted presence in the Western Church.

Painting: Ceiling fresco of “The Holy Trinity” in the Basilica di Santa Croce, by Giovanni Maria Conti della Camera (ca. 17th century)

Song Source:    • Gloria Patri, versió d'Óscar Esplá (Annex:...