Gloria in Excelsis Deo

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See also Great Doxology

"Gloria in Excelsis Deo" (Latin for "Glory to God in the highest") is the title and beginning of the Great Doxology used in the Roman Catholic Mass and in the services of many other^{[citation needed]} Christian churches. It is derived from the Great Doxology, a longer and fuller version, used in the Byzantine Churches.

The text of the song begins with a slight variation on the words sung by the angels as part of the announcement of the birth of Jesus to the shepherds in the field in Luke 2:14. The Vulgate uses altissimis (generally meaning physically highest) instead of excelsis (lofty, high, elevated, or a height). The song continues with verses added to make a proper doxology. This song was originally in Greek and goes back very far in the history of Christianity. Another form of the song goes to at least the third century, if not to the first. A longer version dating to the fourth century is still sung in the Greek Orthodox church. The Latin version differs from the present Greek form. They correspond down to the end of the Latin, which however adds: "Tu solus altissimus" and "Cum sancto Spiritu." The Greek then goes on: "Every day I will bless thee and will glorify thy name for ever, and for ever and ever" and continues with ten more verses, chiefly from psalms, to the Trisagion and Gloria Patri.

In the Roman Catholic Mass, the Gloria is sung on Sundays and Solemnities after the Kyrie and before the Opening Prayer. It is omitted during the seasons of Advent and Lent, except on feasts and on Holy Thursday. It is also not sung at funerals or memorial masses. Musical settings of the Gloria frequently call for a cantor/celebrant to intone the first line "Gloria in excelsis Deo" a cappella, followed by the entrance of the rest of the ensemble for "et in terra pax hominibus," etc., as is the practice at High Mass celebrated in the pre-Vatican II form. In that rite, the Gloria is said on all Feasts, and on Sundays except during Advent, Septuagesima, Lent, and Passiontide. Before 1962, neither the Gloria nor the Te Deum were said on the Feast of the Holy Innocents, because they were martyred before the Ascension and thus did not go directly to heaven.

However, the song's use was gradually adopted. The first Pope to order this part of the liturgy was said to be Pope Telesphorus (128–139?), who ordered it sung at every Christmas, and Pope Symmachus (498–514) ordered that it be said every Sunday. It was then spread to use at Easter only for bishops. By the end of the 11th century, priests began to have license to say the Gloria on their own on any Feast day. However, it was still not said during Advent, as that was a time of repentance. Since the song uses the text of the Angels at the Nativity, it originally appeared only in its most appropriate place and slowly spread to other occasions.

In the medieval period, several "farced" Glorias were composed. These expanded the basic Gloria with special purpose, or ariel, verses. The adapted version for the Feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Sarum Missal, was used all over Europe. Even though these interpolations were condemned repeatedly, they were still sung as late as 1570.

The Gloria is a hymn of praise addressed to each Person of the Holy Trinity in turn, although the clause about the Holy Ghost is very short (cum sancto Spiritu) and is evidently an afterthought. The clauses are arranged in parallels with a certain loose rhythm. This rhythm is much more evident in the Greek original (measured of course by accent); for instance:

Kyrie basileu epouranie,

Thee pater pantokrator

The Gloria and the Te Deum are the only remains of the psalmoi idiotikoi (psalms composed by private persons instead of being taken from the Biblical Psalter) that were popular in the second and third centuries. The extraordinary beauty of these two (to which one should add the Phos Hilaron) is a witness to the splendour of that outburst of lyric poetry among Christians during the time of persecution.

A similar phrase is Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam.

This song also appears in the Book of Odes, a deuterocanonical book for the Greek Orthodox Church.

In the 1662 Book of Common Prayer, for centuries the only official prayer book of the Anglican Communion, the Gloria was moved from its place after the Kyrie, and was instead said or sung at the end of the liturgy, before the final Blessing.

[edit] Latin text and English translation

*-From the International Consultation on English Texts

v • d • e  Gregorian chants of the Roman Mass
Ordinary: Proper: Accentus:		Kyrie | Gloria | Credo | Sanctus | Agnus Dei | Ite missa est or Benedicamus Domino Introit | Gradual | Alleluia or Tract | Sequence | Offertory | Communion Collect | Epistle | Gospel | Secret | Preface | Canon | Postcommunion