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52-466: The hymn was first recorded by an unknown author in the Apostolic Constitutions , which was written in the late 3rd or early 4th century. It is found in a collection of songs to be sung in the morning, in the evening, before meals, and at candle lighting. Phos Hilaron is to be sung at the lighting of lamps in the evening and so is sometimes known as the “ Lamp-lighting Hymn ”. Despite some of

104-486: A Magnificat and Nunc dimittis at different times). In High Church parishes, the service may conclude with Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament (or a modified form of "Devotions to the Blessed Sacrament") and the carrying of the reserved sacrament under a humeral veil from the high altar to an altar of repose , to the accompaniment of music. The service may also include hymns. The first of these may be called

156-526: A body. The structure of the Apostolic Constitutions can be summarized: The best manuscript, Vatican gr 1506, has Arian leanings, which are not found in other manuscripts because this material would have been censured as heretical. The Apostolic Constitutions is an important source for the history of the liturgy in the Antiochene rite . It contains an outline of an anaphora in book two,

208-623: A full anaphora in book seven (which is an expansion of the one found in the Didache), and the complete Liturgy of the eighth book of the Apostolic Constitutions , which is the oldest known form that can be described as a complete divine liturgy . In antiquity, the Apostolic Constitutions were mistakenly supposed to be gathered and handed down by Clement of Rome , the authority of whose name gave weight to more than one such piece of early Christian literature (see also Clementine literature ). The Apostolic Constitutions were rejected as apocryphal by

260-490: A lamp was kept perpetually burning in the empty tomb of Christ , its glow a symbol of the living light of Jesus . As Christians gathered to worship the hymn was sung and, in a tradition known as the lighting of the lamps, a candle lit from the lamp was brought forth from the tomb, its bright, solitary flame calling the church to celebrate the Risen Lord. Athenogenes of Pedachtoë , a saint of unknown date but whose saint's day

312-630: A modified form, included in the 81 book canon of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church . Even if the text of the Apostolic Constitutions was extant in many libraries during the Middle Ages , it was largely ignored. In 1546 a Latin version of a text was found in Crete and published. The first complete edition of the Greek text was printed in 1563 by Turrianus . William Whiston in the 18th century devoted

364-604: A re-wording of chapters 1–2, 4–5, 16–28, 30–34, 45-46 of the eighth book. The text was first published by Paul de Lagarde in 1856 and later by Franz Xaver von Funk in 1905. This epitome could be a later extract even if in parts it looks nearer to the Greek original of the Apostolic Tradition, from which the 8th book is derived, than the Apostolic Constitutions themselves. Evening Prayer (Anglican) Evensong

416-560: A song of praise in measured melody to you, O Son of God, the Giver of Life. Behold, the universe sings your glory. O gracious Light, pure brightness of the everliving Father in heaven, O Jesus Christ, holy and blessed! Now as we come to the setting of the sun, and our eyes behold the vesper light, we sing thy praises, O God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. [Thou art/You are] worthy at all times to be praised by happy voices, O Son of God, O Giver of life, and to be glorified through all

468-400: A weekly service of Choral Evensong. It is broadcast (usually live) on BBC Radio 3 on Wednesdays at 15:30 and often repeated on the following Sunday. Between February 2007 and September 2008, the service was broadcast on Sunday only. The service comes live from an English cathedral or collegiate institution. However, it is occasionally a recording or is replaced by a different form of service or

520-457: Is 16 July, is believed by some to have composed this hymn on the way to being martyred. He is often depicted as an elderly bishop with the executioner's arm paralyzed until the saint has completed his song. The Roman Martyrology states: “ In Pontus , the birthday of Saint Athenogenes, [is celebrated. He was] an aged theologian, who, when about to consummate his martyrdom by fire, sang a hymn of joy, which he left in writing to his disciples. ” He

572-511: Is a church service traditionally held near sunset focused on singing psalms and other biblical canticles . It is loosely based on the canonical hours of vespers and compline . Old English speakers translated the Latin word vesperas as æfensang , which became 'evensong' in modern English. Typically used in reference to the Anglican daily office 's evening liturgy , it can also refer to

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624-479: Is classified among the Church Orders , a genre of early Christian literature , that offered authoritative pseudo- apostolic prescriptions on moral conduct, liturgy and Church organization . The work can be dated from 375 to 380 CE. The provenance is usually regarded as Syria , probably Antioch . The author is unknown, although since James Ussher it has been often considered to be the same author as that of

676-483: Is fitting at all times to raise a song of praise in measured melody to you, O Son of God, the Giver of Life. Therefore, the universe sings your glory. O Joyful Light, light and holy glory of the Father Immortal, the heavenly, holy, blessed One, O Jesus Christ, now that we have reached the setting of the sun, and see the evening light, we sing to God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (+). It is fitting at all times to raise

728-550: Is probably identical to the bishop who was martyred with ten disciples in Sebaste , Armenia , on July 16 during the reign of Emperor Diocletian , most probably c. A.D. 305. Sophronius of Jerusalem (560− 638), who was known for his poetry, is believed to have revised the hymn and Orthodox liturgical books often identify him as the author. The hymn is a fixed part of the Orthodox vespers service, sung or recited daily, at

780-498: Is the immortal Father, heavenly, blest, Holiest of Holies, Jesus Christ our Lord! Now we are come to the sun’s hour of rest; The lights of evening round us shine; We hymn the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit divine! Worthiest art Thou at all times to be sung With undefiled tongue, Son of our God, Giver of life, alone: Therefore in all the world Thy glories, Lord, they own. O gladsome light, O grace Of God

832-584: The Magnificat . The first musical setting of the Book of Common Prayer , by John Marbeck , provided a simplified version of traditional chant settings. It remains unclear whether plainsong remained a common feature of evensong in the Church of England after the sixteenth century. Metrical psalms and Anglican Chant were also developed as alternate methods of singing the psalms and canticles. In choral evensong, all of

884-870: The Birmingham Oratory , Ealing Abbey , Leeds Cathedral , Downside Abbey , the London Oratory , and Westminster Cathedral . Loyola University Maryland , a Jesuit Catholic university in Baltimore, Maryland, celebrates a half-hour evensong on Thursday evenings, although this has been temporarily suspended. In Scotland, some larger churches (and former cathedrals belonging to the Church of Scotland) hold evensong, including Glasgow Cathedral , Paisley Abbey (2nd Sunday of each month), and Edinburgh Cathedral . The Basilica of St. Nicholas in Amsterdam holds choral evensong on Saturdays. The BBC has, since 1926, broadcast

936-685: The Decretum Gelasianum , and the 692 Quinisext Council rejected most of the work as heretical interpolations. Eastern Christianity accepted only part of Book 8, known as the Canons of the Apostles . Nevertheless, the 1913 Catholic Encyclopedia describes the Constitutions as held in "high esteem" in antiquity, and as the basis for significant amounts of canon law . The Apostolic Constitutions were accepted as canonical by John of Damascus and, in

988-663: The Diocese of Oxford , the University of St Andrews , the University of Durham and King's College London ) offer this service regularly, often daily. Most of the cathedrals of the Church in Wales and the Scottish Episcopal Church also offer choral evensong. Choral evensong is usually sung during term time; at other times, it is most often replaced with said Evening Prayer. Aside from

1040-761: The Presbyterian Church (USA) and United Methodist churches which use a formal liturgical worship style. Examples in the Presbyterian Church include Fourth Presbyterian Church (Chicago) and Independent Presbyterian Church (Birmingham, Alabama) both of which offer evensong services on a seasonal basis, as does Peachtree Road United Methodist Church in Atlanta, Georgia. There are some Roman Catholic churches and abbeys in England offering choral evensong: These include Ampleforth Abbey , Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral ,

1092-703: The Septuagint , 26 books of what is now the New Testament (excludes Revelation ), two Epistles of Clement , and the Apostolic Constitutions themselves, also here attributed to Clement, at least as compiler. It is also known as the Epitome , and usually named Epitome of the eighth Book of the Apostolic Constitutions (or sometime titled The Constitutions of the Holy Apostles concerning ordination through Hippolytus or simply The Constitutions through Hippolytus ) containing

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1144-695: The St Cyprian's Cathedral, Kimberley , South Africa. Most of the cathedrals of the Anglican Church of Australia offer choral evensong at least weekly, with St Paul's Cathedral, Melbourne offering daily evensong. Likewise in the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia , evensong is offered at the cathedrals in Auckland , Nelson , Christchurch , Dunedin , and Wellington . The popularity of evensong has spread to other churches, particularly churches of

1196-573: The all-night vigil . When the English reformation produced the Book of Common Prayer , it provided a version of evensong that abbreviated the secular version of vespers and compline, drawing on the Use of Sarum . Nearly all its elements are taken from medieval service books, with only minor changes to the order in which they appear. Evensong was initially sung entirely to plainsong . Musicians gradually created polyphonic settings of its music, especially of

1248-538: The entrance when great vespers is celebrated and, in all cases, after the "lamp lighting psalms", aka, "Lord, I have cried..." and their stichera and immediately preceding the prokeimenon . In the Armenian Rite the hymn is sung only on Saturday evening (i.e., Sunday Eve) and on the eve of certain feast days. The name of the text in Armenian is Loys Zvart . The hymn was translated into English by John Keble , one of

1300-681: The Eastern Council in Trullo in 692 but rejected by Pope Constantine . In the Latin Church only fifty of these canons circulated, translated to Latin by Dionysius Exiguus on about 500 AD, and included in the Western collections and afterwards in the Corpus Juris Canonici . Canon n. 85 is a list of canonical books: a 46-book Old Testament canon which essentially corresponds to that of

1352-516: The Father's face, The eternal splendour wearing; Celestial, holy, blest, Our Saviour Jesus Christ, Joyful in thine appearing. Now, ere day fadeth quite, We see the evening light, Our wonted hymn outpouring; Father of might unknown, Thee, his incarnate Son, And Holy Spirit adoring. To thee of right belongs All praise of holy songs, O Son of God, Lifegiver; Thee, therefore, O Most High, The world doth glorify, And shall exalt forever. Used in

1404-463: The Great and St Bride's, Fleet Street . Most of the larger churches and cathedrals of the Church of Ireland offer evensong. It is sung six times a week at St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin , twice at Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin , and once at Trinity College, Dublin . Additionally, although rarely, some parish churches hold evensong; however, this is most often replaced with Evening Prayer. Most of

1456-497: The Immortal Father, Heavenly, Holy, Blessed Jesus Christ! Now that we have come to the setting of the sun and behold the light of evening, we praise God Father, Son and Holy Spirit. For meet it is at all times to worship Thee with voices of praise. O Son of God and Giver of Life, therefore all the world doth glorify Thee. O Gentle Light of the holy glory of the immortal, heavenly, holy, blessed Father, O Jesus Christ: Having come to

1508-457: The Office Hymn, and will usually be particularly closely tied to the liturgical theme of the day, and may be an ancient plainchant setting. This will usually be sung just before the psalm(s) or immediately before the first canticle and may be sung by the choir alone. Otherwise any hymns normally come toward the end of the service, maybe one either side of the sermon (if there is one), or following

1560-551: The Office of the Dead and at Evening Prayer. O radiant light, O sun divine Of God the Father's deathless face, O image of the light sublime That fills the heav'nly dwelling place. O Son of God, the source of life, Praise is your due by night and day; Our happy lips must raise the strain Of your esteemed and splendid name. Lord Jesus Christ, as daylight fades, As shine

1612-408: The anthem. These hymns will generally be congregational. Most cathedrals of the Church of England , where the service originates, and a number of university college chapels (e.g. in the University of Cambridge , the University of Oxford ; including Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford which is unique in the world for being both the college chapel for Christ Church, Oxford and a Cathedral Church for

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1664-471: The cathedrals and collegiate chapels, evensong is also sung in many parish churches around England where there is a choral tradition. There may be a choral service each Sunday or less frequently, such as on a monthly basis or only on feast days in the liturgical calendar . Many churches in central London have a professional choir and have a weekly service of choral evensong, among them All Saints, Margaret Street , Holy Trinity Sloane Square , St Bartholomew

1716-501: The early Christian hymn Φως ιλαρον. Apostolic Constitutions Jus novum ( c.  1140 -1563) Jus novissimum ( c.  1563 -1918) Jus codicis (1918-present) Other Sacraments Sacramentals Sacred places Sacred times Supra-diocesan/eparchal structures Particular churches Juridic persons Philosophy, theology, and fundamental theory of Catholic canon law Clerics Office Juridic and physical persons Associations of

1768-548: The evening light, we praise God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. It is proper for You to be praised at all times by fitting melodies, O Son of God, giver of life. Therefore, all the world glorifies You! O Joyful Light of the holy glory of the Father Immortal, the heavenly, holy, blessed One, O Jesus Christ, now that we have reached the setting of the sun, and see the evening light, we sing to God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (+). It

1820-496: The faithful Pars dynamica (trial procedure) Canonization Election of the Roman Pontiff Academic degrees Journals and Professional Societies Faculties of canon law Canonists Institute of consecrated life Society of apostolic life The Apostolic Constitutions or Constitutions of the Holy Apostles ( Latin : Constitutiones Apostolorum ) is a Christian collection divided into eight books which

1872-656: The larger cathedrals and large parishes of the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Church of Canada offer choral evensong. During the school year, Washington National Cathedral offers Evensong not only on Sunday afternoon, but also from Monday to Thursday, with the Girl Choristers and the Boy Choristers alternating. Saint Thomas Church on Fifth Avenue in New York City offers Evensong from Tuesday to Thursday during

1924-606: The leaders of the Oxford Movement within Anglicanism , in 1834, as "Hail, Gladdening Light". Because Keble retained the original irregular metre , it was not suited to any existing hymn tune; however, Sir John Stainer wrote music specifically for it based on Anglican chant . His tune, Sebaste , was first published in 1875 in Hymns Ancient and Modern , while Stainer was organist at St Paul's Cathedral , London. Keble's version

1976-462: The letters of Pseudo-Ignatius , perhaps the 4th-century Eunomian bishop Julian of Cilicia . The Apostolic Constitutions contains eight books on Early Christian discipline, worship, and doctrine, apparently intended to serve as a manual of guidance for the clergy, and to some extent for the laity. It purports to be the work of the Twelve Apostles , whether given by them as individuals or as

2028-612: The lights of eventide, We praise the Father with the Son, The Spirit blest and with them one. [Storey did not preserve the ancient text-order by which the doxology occurs in v. 2 rather than v. 3] Light of the world in grace and beauty, mirror of God's eternal face, transparent flame of love's free duty, you bring salvation to our race. Now, as we see the lights of evening, we raise our voice in hymns of praise; worthy are you of endless blessing, Sun of our night, Lamp of our days. ChoralWiki – lyrics attributed to Keble – music score provided. (1792–1866), translated from

2080-471: The moral and religious conditions, as well as the liturgical observances of 3rd and 4th centuries . They are part of the Ante-Nicene Fathers collection. The forty-seventh and last chapter of the eighth book of the Apostolic Constitutions contains the eighty-five Canons of the Apostles , which present themselves as being from an apostolic Council at Antioch . These canons were later approved by

2132-498: The musical setting omitted are also sometimes referred to as evensong. A number of composers have contributed settings of the canticles. These range from late Renaissance composers such as Thomas Tallis , William Byrd and Orlando Gibbons , through Victorian composers such as Charles Villiers Stanford , Thomas Attwood Walmisley to later masters of the form such as Herbert Murrill , Basil Harwood , Herbert Howells , Michael Tippett , Giles Swayne , and Arvo Pärt (who composed

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2184-855: The pre-Reformation form of vespers or services of evening prayer from other denominations, particularly within the Anglican Use of the Catholic Church . From Late Antiquity onwards, the office of vespers normally included psalms, the Magnificat , a hymn, and other prayers. By the Early Middle Ages , it became common for secular clergy to combine vespers and compline. By the sixteenth century, worshippers in western Europe conceived 'evensong' as vespers and compline performed without break. Modern Eastern Orthodox services advertised as 'vespers' often similarly conclude with compline, especially as part of

2236-592: The psalms appointed for the day. The Lutheran Service Book (the official hymnal of the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod ) contains, for the liturgy of early evening prayer, the Phos Hilaron. Original text Transliteration (into reconstructed Classical Greek pronunciation as opposed to that of the time period in which it was written) Verbatim translation O Gladsome Light of the Holy Glory of

2288-488: The school year, in addition to Sundays. Evensong is also often offered at Episcopal seminaries as part of a chapel program. For example, General Theological Seminary currently offers Evensong. Throughout the countries of Africa with a large Anglican presence, evensong is also offered, for instance in the Cathedral Church of Christ, Lagos , Nigeria, St George's Cathedral, Cape Town , South Africa, and every Sunday at

2340-417: The service is sung or chanted by the officiating minister and a choir. In cathedrals, or on particularly important days in the church calendar, the canticles are performed in elaborate settings. In churches where a choir is not present, simpler versions of the psalms and canticles are usually sung by the congregation, sometimes with responses and collects spoken rather than sung. Said evening prayer services with

2392-472: The setting of the sun, having beheld the evening light, we praise the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit: God. Meet it is for Thee at all times to be hymned with reverent voices, O Son of God, Giver of life. Wherefore, the world doth glorify Thee. O Joyful Light of the holy glory of the Father immortal: heavenly, holy, blessed Lord Jesus Christ! Since we have come to the setting of the sun and have seen

2444-673: The singing of the Phos Hilaron as a cherished tradition of the church, the hymn being already considered old in his day (though some attribute the composition of the song to Basil himself). The original melody, as used by the Greek Orthodox Church in the original text, is considered taxing on the voice as it spans almost two octaves, with the voice peaking on the words “Heavenly” and “the Father” (see word painting ). At that time in Jerusalem,

2496-542: The third volume of his Primitive Christianity Revived to prove that "they are the most sacred of the canonical books of the New Testament; "for "these sacred Christian laws or constitutions were delivered at Jerusalem , and in Mount Sion , by our Saviour to the eleven apostles there assembled after His resurrection." Today the Apostolic Constitutions are regarded as a highly significant historical document, as they reveal

2548-405: The use of the hymn, though any of these versifications might be sung at those points in the service which provided for the singing of a hymn or anthem. More recently, some Anglican bodies have adopted it as part of the evening liturgy . For example, the 1979 American Book of Common Prayer prescribes it, in the prose translation given below, as an optional invitatory canticle immediately preceding

2600-403: The words to the other three songs being from Scripture or in one case dated to around 150, Phos Hilaron is the first to be considered an actual hymn in the modern sense. It is certainly the first complete example. It is far more rhythmic than the others and is divided into twelve verses varying between five, six, eight, nine, ten and eleven syllables a verse. Basil of Caesarea (329–379) spoke of

2652-467: The worlds. Joyous light of glory of the immortal Father, Heavenly, holy, blessed Jesus Christ, We have come to the setting of the Sun And we look to the evening light. We sing to God, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. You are worthy of being praised with pure voices forever. O Son of God, O Giver of life, The universe proclaims your glory. Hail, gladdening Light, of His pure glory poured Who

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2704-405: Was also set as an anthem for eight voices by Charles Wood in 1912. Another translation was made by the 19th-century U.S. poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow ; a third translation, by Robert Bridges ("O gladsome light, O grace / Of God the Father's face"), has appeared in several hymnals with music composed by Louis Bourgeois . The traditional Anglican service of Evening Prayer did not call for

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