Phos Hilaron

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Phos Hilaron (Koinē Greek: Φῶς Ἱλαρόν, romanized: Fόs Ilarόn) is an ancient Christian hymn originally written in Koine Greek. Often referred to in the Western Church by its Latin title Lumen Hilare, it has been translated into English as O Gladsome Light. It is one of the earliest known Christian hymns recorded outside of the Bible that is still in use today. The hymn is part of vespers in the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Byzantine Rite of the Catholic Church, and also included in some Anglican liturgies and Lutheran hymnals.

The hymn was first recorded by an unknown author in the Apostolic Constitutions,^[1] 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 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 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, 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 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 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 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 the leaders of the Oxford Movement within Anglicanism, in 1834, as "Hail, Gladdening Light".^[2] 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.^[3] Keble's version was also set as an anthem for eight voices by Charles Wood in 1912.^[4] 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 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 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.^[5]

Original text

Φῶς ἱλαρὸν ἁγίας δόξης ἀθανάτου Πατρός,

οὐρανίου, ἁγίου, μάκαρος, Ἰησοῦ Χριστέ,

ἐλθόντες ἐπὶ τὴν ἡλίου δύσιν, ἰδόντες φῶς ἑσπερινόν,

ὑμνοῦμεν Πατέρα, Υἱόν, καὶ ἅγιον Πνεῦμα, Θεόν.

Ἄξιόν σε ἐν πᾶσι καιροῖς ὑμνεῖσθαι φωναῖς αἰσίαις,

Υἱὲ Θεοῦ, ζωὴν ὁ διδούς· διὸ ὁ κόσμος σὲ δοξάζει.

Transliteration (into reconstructed Classical Greek pronunciation as opposed to that of the time period in which it was written)

Phō̂s hilaròn hagías dóxēs, athanátou Patrós,

ouraníou, hagíou, mákaros, Iēsoû Christé,

elthóntes epì tḕn hēlíou dýsin, idóntes phôs hesperinón,

hymnoûmen Patéra, Hyión, kaì Hágion Pneûma, Theón.

Áxión se en pâsi kairoîs hymneîsthai phōnaîs aisíais,

Hyiè Theoû, zoḕn ho didoús, diò ho kósmos sè doxázei.

Verbatim translation

O Light gladsome of the holy glory of the Immortal Father,

the Heavenly, the Holy, the Blessed, O Jesus Christ,

having come upon the setting of the sun, having seen the light of the evening,

we praise the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit: God.

Worthy it is at all times to praise Thee in joyful voices,

O Son of God, Giver of Life, for which the world glorifies Thee.

O Gladsome Light of the Holy Glory of 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.^[6]

O Gentle Light of the holy glory of the immortal, heavenly, holy, blessed Father, O Jesus Christ: Having come to 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.^[7]

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 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!^[8]

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 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.^[9]

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 a song of praise in measured melody to you, O Son of God, the Giver of Life. Behold, the universe sings your glory.^[10]

Used in the Office of the Dead and at Evening Prayer.

[Storey did not preserve the ancient text-order by which the doxology occurs in v. 2 rather than v. 3]

• St Gabriel by Rev. Sir F. A. G. Ouseley (1825–1889)
• Christ Church by Rev E. S. Medley (1838-19--)
• Свѣте тихій (Svyetye tikhiy) from Op. 52, All-Night Vigil, by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840–1893)
• Evening Hymn by Sir Arthur Sullivan (1842–1900)
• Свѣте тихій (Svyetye tikhiy) Op. 23 No.3 by Alexander Gretchaninoff (1864–1956)
• Anthem by Charles Wood (1866–1926)
• Свѣте тихій (Svyetye tikhiy) from Op. 37, All-Night Vigil, by Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873–1943)
• Anthem by Geoffrey Shaw (1879–1943)
• Op.28 by Craig Sellar Lang (1891–1972)
• Phos Hilaron by Alexander Flood (1977-)^[16]
• Church Music – David Crowder Band, 2009
• O Gracious Light by Mason Shefa, 2012.

Wikisource has original text related to this article:

Phos Hilaron

• Catholic Encyclopedia – Hymnology article
• Attributes the hymn to Basil, and mentions St Sophronius's revision
• Encyclopædia Britannica – claims it is as old as AD 200 or earlier.