Holy Spirit Hymns Catholic? Top 50 Best Answers

Come Holy Spirit is a Roman Catholic prayer for guidance.[1] It is discussed in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraphs 2670-2672.[2]

Come Holy Spirit[edit]

Typical English version:

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your believers and ignite in them the fire of your love. Send out your spirit and they will be created. And you will renew the face of the earth. let’s pray O God, who taught the hearts of your believers by the light of the Holy Spirit, grant us in the same spirit to be truly wise and always rejoice in his comfort, through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Or in Latin:

Veni Sancte Spiritus, reple tuórum corda fidélium et tui amóris in eis ignem accénde. Emítte Spiritum tuum, et creabúntur. Et renovábis fáciem terræ. Oremus. Deus, qui corda fidélium Sancti Spíritus illustratióne docuísti, da nobis in eódem Spíritu recta sápere, et de eius semper consolatióne gaudére, per Christum, Dóminum nostrum. Amen.

Lutheran usage[ edit ]

The prayer is used regularly as a canticle in the Nordic Lutheran Church of Sweden. Although seldom sung in regular worship, it is an integral part of the opening of spiritual synods and of priestly ordinations,[3] usually during the final rite of investment, after the newly ordained priests have taken their vows. In such cases, it is usually sung first in the original Latin, followed by the Swedish translation.[4]

See also[edit]

Hear the enchanting sound of the world’s oldest song, the Hurrian Hymn

By Lizzie Davis

The Hurrian Hymn was discovered in the 1950s on a clay tablet inscribed with cuneiform text. It is the oldest surviving tune and is over 3,400 years old.

The hymn was discovered on a clay tablet in Ugarit, now part of Syria, and is dedicated to Nikkal, the Hurrian goddess of orchards.

The clay tablet text, discovered along with about 30 other tablet fragments, gives 9 lyre strings and the intervals between those strings – similar to an antique guitar tablature.

But this is the only hymn that has been able to be reconstructed – although the composer’s name is now lost.

The oldest English song sounds like a happy summer anthem >

Choir sings 800-year-old Icelandic anthem at the train station >

Here it is:

Image: Getty

Doesn’t look very much like music, does it…?

The system of music notation we use today was not invented until 1000 AD. This is something completely different.

The notation here is essentially a set of interval and tuning instructions based on a heptatonic-diatonic scale. There is much more detail on the exact language and instructions here.

The lyrics are very difficult to translate, but an academic came up with this rendition:

“Once I have loved the Deity, she will love me in her heart,

The offering I bring can completely cover my sin,

Bringing sesame oil can work in awe on my behalf, may I?

Here’s the whole haunting tune

Words: H.F. Lyte; Melody: W.H. Monk

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Why it’s a good choice:

One of the most commonly sung hymns at funerals, this is truly a prayer to God to be with him in death as he has been with us in life.

Background:

Henry Francis Lyte, vicar of Brixham in Devon, had the idea for this hymn while visiting a dying friend in Wexford. He later revisited it when he himself died of tuberculosis, and it was first sung at his funeral.

As we explore elsewhere on this site, religious hymns have been sung since at least the ancient Greek era and have been a central part of Christian worship since its earliest centuries. Very rarely are the lyrics and music of a hymn written by the same person, but more often one person’s lyrics are set to another person’s melody. But what are the greatest anthems of all?

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Here we suggest our favorite combinations of beautiful words and equally great music…

The 6 best anthems of all time

Lead me, O great Redeemer

Few hymns, chosen by Prince William and Catherine Middleton to kick off their wedding in April 2011, set such an uplifting tone as this Welsh masterpiece – and few are as delightful to sing as it. The words of the Welsh Methodist William Williams (1717-1791) are usually accompanied by John Hughes’ magnificent 1905 tune ‘Cwm Rhondda’, named after the valley in South Wales. However, the hymn is better known to many as “Bread of Heaven” due to the famous repetition of words in the first stanza. After that, the following “Feed me till I want no more” traditionally divides the community between those who stay in tune on the high note and those who prefer to go down to the accompanying upwards “Want no moooooore!” ‘ to be sung with appropriate enthusiasm. It’s your decision.

‘Guide me, O Thou Great Redeemer’ is also a popular rugby song for Welsh fans and is considered the second national anthem of Wales (after ‘Land of My Fathers’).

Jerusalem

Another deserved favorite at weddings and a regular at patriotic sing-alongs like the Last Night of the Proms, Jerusalem is also something of an enigma. What exactly was William Blake referring to in his 1804 poem? Was “And Did These Feet in Ancient Times” really praise England, or did the “dark satanic mills” imply a more ominous vision of the future? Hubert Parry wrote his famous tune for it in 1916, and it was at this point that another layer of controversy was added – when the Gloucestershire composer was reluctant to use it in support of the patriotic Fight for Right campaign (for which it had been commissioned) , it was instead picked up by the National Union of Women’s Suffrage Societies. Unusually, Parry’s setting has a four-bar organ intro before each stanza, to which everyone joins in glorious, boisterous unison. The word “belt” comes to mind.

be you my vision

Next we go to Ireland. The words to this uniquely evocative hymn are traditionally said to be the work of Saint Dalían, an Irish poet who spread the word across the north of the country before meeting a sticky end at the hands of pirates in the early seventh century. However, they may well date later. They are commonly sung to the vernacular-derived hymn ‘Slane’, named after a village in County Meath, first found in Patrick Joyce’s 1909 Old Irish Folk Music and Songs. However, “Be Thou My Vision” has the not pretty chant-like phrases of “Slane” all its own – the melody is also used for the anthem “Lord of all hopefulness”.

Dear Lord and Father of Humanity

Well before he composed Jerusalem, Hubert Parry also wrote an oratorio called Judith, which tells the gruesome tale of the Old Testament heroine of the same name and, despite its gory subject, contains a rather beautiful aria in which Queen Meshullemeth tells the children how their ancestors had arrived in Israel . Little did Parry know that six years after his death in 1918, the melody of the aria would be taken from George Gilbert Stocks, a music teacher at Repton School in Derbyshire, and adapted to the hymn ‘Dear Lord and Father of Mankind’, in his words originally found in US Quaker John Greenleaf Whittier’s (1807-92) poem The brewing of Soma – but for the “Repton” melody to work, the last line of each stanza must be repeated. And it is that last line that is the true magic of this hymn as we follow the climax of ‘Earthquake, Wind and Fire’ in the final stanza, descending to a hush for the ‘still little voice of rest’.

We’ve called “Dear Lord and Father of Mankind” one of the best funeral hymns

Amazing Grace

Few anthems tell a story as personal as Amazing Grace. Its author John Newton (1725-1807) was a former slave trader who converted to Christianity after being shipwrecked off County Donegal and later became a staunch abolitionist – the words “That saved a wretch like me!” could refer to both his physical escape as well as his spiritual conversion. Traditionally sung to the tune “New Britain,” a pentatonic (playable only on the black notes on a piano) tune derived from American folk music, its immense popularity has spread far beyond the church, and famous recordings have been made it by the likes of Elvis Presley, soprano Jessye Norman and Johnny Cash.

The day you gave Lord is over

Even the great Ralph Vaughan Williams didn’t get everything right. For some reason the eminent British composer and editor of hymns ‘St Clement’ detested Clement Cotteril Scholefield’s beautifully sweeping melody for the hymn ‘The Day Thou Gavest, Lord, is Ended’, to which the Reverend John Ellerton wrote the lyrics in 1870. I’m sorry, Ralph, but millions of us would disagree, especially when it’s sung so movingly at a loved one’s funeral or memorial service – although it’s specifically an evening song, its words naturally lend it that other purpose. In addition to viewers of BBC’s Songs of Praise, who voted them third in the show’s 2005 poll of favorite hymns, include Queen Victoria, who included them in her Diamond Jubilee service in 1897, and Rick Wakeman, who introduced the show, to the wider fans tune on his 1973 album The Six Wives of Henry VIII.

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Here you will find the lyrics to some of your favorite songs

2019 Top 10 Most Popular Worship Songs in Churches

Faithlife Proclaims publishes the top 10 most popular worship songs in churches of 2019!

The 10 most sung worship songs of 2019 were, in this order:

Build My Life, Pat Barrett What A Beautiful Name, Hillsong Worship This is Amazing Grace, Phil Wickham 10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord), Matt Redman Great Are You Lord, All Sons & Daughters Who You Say I Am, Hillsong Worship How Great is Our God, Chris Tomlin Good, Good Father, Chris Tomlin In Christ Alone, Stuart Townend, Brian Getty, Kristian Stanfill, Passion Living Hope, Phil Wickham

Which song did YOU surprise not make the list?

If possible, hang long, flowing red banners from the ceiling to cause flames of fire to cascade down and touch worshipers’ heads. Click here for examples. Project Acts 2:3 onto the screen. If you have enough people in your congregation who speak different languages, have a group read the scriptures in multiple languages. Otherwise, play recordings of the scriptures in multiple languages ​​for a few minutes. Project Acts 2:4.

Have seven readers present Acts 2:5-42 (NLT). You could have soft instrumental music playing in the background while they read.

readings

Reader 1: Acts 2:5-8, 12-13

At that time, devout Jews from all nations lived in Jerusalem. When they heard the loud noise, everyone came running and they were confused when they heard the believers speaking their own language. They were totally amazed. “How can that be?” they shouted. “These people are all from Galilee, and yet we hear them speak in our own native language!”

They stood there amazed and perplexed. “What can that mean?” they asked each other. But others in the crowd made fun of her, saying, “You’re just drunk, that’s all!”

Reader 2: Acts 2:14-16

Then Peter stepped forward with the eleven other apostles and called out to the crowd: “Listen carefully, all you fellow Jews and inhabitants of Jerusalem! Make no mistake. These people are not drunk as some of you assume. Nine in the morning is way too early for that. No, what you see was prophesied long ago by the prophet Joel:

Reader 3: Acts 2:17-21

“’In the last days,’ says God, ‘I will pour out my Spirit on all men. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your young men will see visions and your old men will dream dreams. In those days I will even pour out my spirit upon my servants – men and women alike – and they will prophesy. And I will do wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below – blood and fire and clouds of smoke. The sun will go dark and the moon will turn blood red before that great and glorious day of the Lord comes. But everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

Reader 4: Acts 2:22-24

“People of Israel, listen! God publicly approved of Jesus the Nazarene, performing mighty miracles, wonders and signs through him, as you well know. But God knew what would happen and His prepared plan was carried out when Jesus was betrayed. With the help of lawless pagans you nailed him to the cross and killed him. But God delivered him from the horrors of death and brought him back to life, for death could not hold him.

Reader 5: Acts 2:25-31

“King David said this about him: ‘I see that the Lord is with me always. I won’t be shaken ’cause he’s right next to me. No wonder my heart rejoices and my tongue cries out his praise! My body rests in hope. For you will not leave my soul among the dead or let your saint rot in the grave. You have shown me the way of life and you will fill me with the joy of your presence.”

“Dear brothers, think about it! You can be sure that the patriarch David was not referring to himself, for he died and was buried, and his tomb is still here among us. But he was a prophet, and he knew that God had promised with an oath that one of David’s own descendants would sit on his throne. David looked to the future and spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah. He said that God would not leave him among the dead or let his body rot in the grave.

Reader 6: Acts 2:32-35

“God raised Jesus from the dead and we are all witnesses of it. Now he is exalted to the highest place of honor in heaven, at the right hand of God. And the Father, as He had promised, gave Him the Holy Spirit to pour out upon us, as you see and hear today. For David himself never ascended into heaven, and yet he said:

“The Lord said to my Lord: “Sit in the place of honor at my right hand until I humble your enemies and make them a footstool under your feet.”

“So let all of Israel know for sure that God made this Jesus whom you crucified both Lord and Messiah!”

Reader 7: Acts 2:36-42

Peter’s words pierced their hearts, and they said to him and to the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”

Peter replied, “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. This promise is to you, your children, and those far away—all who have been called of the Lord our God.” Then Peter continued to preach for a long time, urging all his listeners: “Save yourselves from this crooked generation!”

Those who believed what Peter said were baptized and received into the church that day—about 3,000 in all. All believers devoted themselves to the teaching of the apostles and fellowship, the common meal (including the Lord’s Supper) and prayer.”

After the readings, initiate a dialogue about what the worshipers experienced hearing these verses.

Finish with stanzas one, four and seven of the 15th-century English poet John Dryden’s translation of the Latin prayer Veni Creator Spiritus.

Veni Creator Spiritus

creative spirit, with whose help

The foundations of the world were laid first

Come visit every pious spirit;

Come pour your joys on mankind;

We free ourselves from sin and suffering;

And make your temples worthy of you.

Refine and purify our earthly parts;

But, oh, ignite and ignite our hearts!

Our weaknesses help, our vices control;

Subdue the senses of the soul;

And when they’re rebellious, they’re grown up

Then put your hand and hold it tight.

Immortal honor, endless glory,

Pay attention to the Almighty Father’s name:

Blessed be the Savior Son,

Who died for the redemption of lost man:

And equal worship be

Eternal Paraclete, to you.

The third person of the Trinity in Trinitarian Christianity.

This article is about the Christian perspective of the Holy Spirit. For the Holy Spirit in other religions, see Holy Spirit

For the majority of Christian denominations, the Holy Spirit, or Holy Spirit, is believed to be the third person of the Trinity,[1] a triune God manifested as God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, each entity himself is God.[2][3][4] Non-Trinitarian Christians who reject the doctrine of the Trinity differ significantly from mainstream Christianity in their belief in the Holy Spirit. In Christian theology, pneumatology is the study of the Holy Spirit. Because of Christianity’s historical relationship with Judaism, theologians often identify the Holy Spirit with the concept of Ruach Hakodesh in Jewish Scripture, on the theory that Jesus (who was a Jew) expanded upon these Jewish concepts. Similar names and ideas are Ruach Elohim (Spirit of God), Ruach YHWH (Spirit of Yahweh), and Ruach Hakodesh (Holy Spirit).[5][6] In the New Testament it is identified with the Spirit of Christ, the Spirit of Truth, the Paraclete, and the Holy Spirit.[7][8][9]

The New Testament describes a close relationship between the Holy Spirit and Jesus during His mortal life and ministry.[10] The Gospels of Matthew and Luke and the Nicene Creed state that Jesus was “conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary.”[11] The Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus like a dove during his baptism, and in his farewell speech after the Last Supper, Jesus promised to send the Holy Spirit to his disciples after his departure.[12][13]

The Holy Spirit is referred to as “the Lord, the giver of life” in the Nicene Creed, which encapsulates several key beliefs of many Christian denominations. The Holy Spirit’s involvement in the tripartite nature of conversion is evident in Jesus’ final post-Resurrection instruction to His disciples at the end of Matthew:[14] “Make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of Holy Spirit.”[15] Since the first century, Christians have also called on God with the trinitarian formula “Father, Son and Holy Spirit” in prayer, absolution and blessing.[16] [17] In Acts, the advent of the Holy Spirit takes place fifty days after Christ’s resurrection and is celebrated in Christendom with the feast of Pentecost.[18]

Etymology and usage[edit]

The Greek Koine word pneûma (πνεῦμα, pneuma) occurs about 385 times in the New Testament, with some scholars distinguishing between three and nine occurrences.[19] Pneuma appears 105 times in the four canonical gospels, 69 times in Acts, 161 times in Paul’s epistles, and 50 times elsewhere.[19] These usages vary: in 133 cases it refers to “spirit” and in 153 cases it refers to “spiritual”. The Holy Spirit is referred to about 93 times,[19] sometimes under the name pneuma and sometimes explicitly as pneûma tò Hagion (Πνεῦμα τὸ Ἅγιον). (In some cases it is also used simply generically to mean wind or life.[19]) It was commonly translated in the Vulgate as Spiritus and Spiritus Sanctus.

The English terms “Holy Ghost” and “Holy Spirit” are complete synonyms: one derives from the Old English gast and the other from the Latin loanword spiritus. Like Pneuma, they both refer to the breath, to its animating power, and to the soul. The Old English term is shared by all other Germanic languages ​​(compare e.g. the German spirit) and is older; The King James Bible typically uses “Holy Spirit”. From the 20th century, translations overwhelmingly favor “Holy Spirit”, partly because the common English term “ghost” increasingly refers only to the spirit of a dead person.[20][21][22]

names [edit]

Hebrew Bible[ edit ]

Source:[5]

וְר֣וּחַ קָדְשׁ֑וֹ ( Ruah qadesov ) – His Holy Spirit (Isaiah 63:10) [23]

) – His Holy Spirit (Isaiah 63:10) וְר֣וּחַ קָ֝דְשְׁךָ֗ ( Ruah qadseḵa ) – Your Holy Spirit (Psalm 51:11) [24]

) – Your Holy Spirit (Psalm 51:11) וְר֣וּחַ אֱלֹהִ֔ים ( Ruah Elohim ) – Spirit of God (Genesis 1:2) [25]

) – Spirit of God (Genesis 1:2) נִשְׁמַת־ר֨וּחַ חַיִּ֜ים ( Nismat Ruah hayyim ) – The breath of the life spirit (Genesis 7:22) [26]

) – The breath of the spirit of life (Genesis 7:22) ר֣וּחַ יְהוָ֑ה ( Ruah YHWH ) – Spirit of YHWH (Isaiah 11:2) [27]

) – Spirit of YHWH (Isaiah 11:2) ר֧וּחַ חָכְמָ֣ה וּבִינָ֗ה ( Ruach hakmah ubinah ) – Spirit of wisdom and understanding (Isaiah 11:2) [27]

) – Spirit of wisdom and understanding (Isaiah 11:2) ר֤וּחַ עֵצָה֙ וּגְבוּרָ֔ה ( Ruah esah ugeburah ) – Spirit of counsel and power (Isaiah 11:2) [27]

) – Spirit of counsel and power (Isaiah 11:2) ר֥וּחַ דַּ֖עַת וְיִרְאַ֥ת יְהוָֽה (Ruah daat weyirat YHWH) – Spirit of knowledge[28] and fear of YHWH (Isaiah 11:2)[27]

New Testament[edit]

πνεύματος ἁγίου ( Pneumatos Hagiou ) – Holy Spirit (Matthew 1:18) [29]

) – Holy Spirit (Matthew 1:18) πνεύματι θεοῦ ( Pneumati Theou ) – Spirit of God (Matthew 12:28) [30]

) – Spirit of God (Matthew 12:28) ὁ παράκλητος ( Ho Paraclētos ) – The Comforter, cf. Paraclete John 14:26 (John 16:7) [31]

) – The Comforter, cf. Paraclete John 14:26 (John 16:7) πνεῦμα τῆς ἀληθείας ( Pneuma tēs Alētheias ) – Spirit of truth (John 16:13) [32]

) – Spirit of truth (John 16:13) Πνεῦμα Χριστοῦ (Pneuma Christou) – Spirit of Christ (1 Peter 1:11)[33]

Depending on the context:

πνεῦμα ( pneuma ) – spirit (John 3:8) [34]

) – Spirit (John 3:8) Πνεύματος (Pneumatos) – Spirit (John 3:8)

Biblical account[ edit ]

Old Testament[edit]

What the Hebrew Bible calls “Spirit of God” and “Spirit of Elohim” is called “Holy Spirit” (ruacḥ ha-kodesh) in the Talmud and Midrash. Although the phrase “Holy Spirit” in Ps. 51:11 and in Isa. 63:10-11 it had not quite acquired the meaning given to it in rabbinic literature, where it is synonymous with the expression “Spirit of the Lord”. In Gen.1:2, God’s Spirit hovered over the form of inanimate matter, thereby making creation possible.[35][36] Although the Ruach Ha-Kodesh can be named in place of God, it was designed as something special; and like all earthly things that come from heaven, the Ruach Ha-Kodesh is composed of light and fire.[36] The most characteristic sign of the presence of the Ruach Ha-Kodesh is the gift of prophecy. The use of the word “ruach” (Hebrew: “breath” or “wind”) in the phrase ruach ha-kodesh seems to indicate that Jewish authorities believed that the Holy Spirit was some kind of medium of communication, like the wind. The spirit sometimes speaks in a male voice and sometimes in a female voice; the word ruacḥ is both masculine and feminine.[36]

New Testament[edit]

The term “Holy Spirit” appears at least 90 times in the New Testament.[7] The holiness of the Holy Spirit for Christians is affirmed in all three Synoptic Gospels[37] which proclaim that blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is the unpardonable sin.[38] The Holy Spirit’s participation in the Trinity is suggested in Jesus’ final post-Resurrection instruction to His disciples at the end of Matthew 28:19:[39] “Go therefore, make disciples of all the nations, and baptize them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit”.[15]

Synoptic Gospels[ edit ]

The Annunciation, by the Holy Spirit as a Dove, by Philippe de Champaigne, 1644.

The Holy Spirit is mentioned by all three authors of the Synoptic Gospels. Most references are from the author of Luke’s Gospel; this emphasis is continued by the same author in Acts.

The Holy Spirit does not simply appear for the first time at Pentecost after Jesus’ resurrection, but is present in the Gospel of Luke (in 1-2) before Jesus was born.[7] In Luke 1:15, John the Baptist is said to have been “filled with the Holy Spirit” before birth,[40] and the Holy Spirit came upon the Virgin Mary in Luke 1:35.[41][7] In Luke 3:16[42] John the Baptist explains that Jesus did not baptize with water but with the Holy Spirit; and the Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus during his baptism in the Jordan.[7] In Luke 11:13[43] Jesus assured that God the Father “would give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him.”[7]

Mark 13:11 specifically refers to the power of the Holy Spirit to work through Jesus’ disciples in times of need, saying: “Do not worry beforehand what you will speak, but what will be given you in the hour that you talks for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit.”[44] Matthew 10:20[45] refers to the same act of speaking by the disciples, but uses the term “the Spirit of your Father.”[46]

Acts of the Apostles[edit]

Acts has sometimes been called the “Book of the Holy Spirit” or the “Acts of the Apostles.”[47][48] Of the approximately seventy occurrences of the word pneuma in Acts, fifty-five refer to the Holy Spirit.[48]

From the beginning, in Acts 1:2,[49] the reader is reminded that the ministry of Jesus while on earth was accomplished by the power of the Holy Spirit and that the “deeds of the apostles” continue to be the deeds of Jesus and are also facilitated by the Holy Spirit.[48] Acts presents the Holy Spirit as the “principle of life” of the early church and gives five separate and dramatic examples of His outpouring upon the believers in Acts 2:1-4,[50] 4:28-31,[51] 8:15 before -17,[52] 10:44,[53] and 19:6.[54][47]

References to the Holy Spirit appear throughout Acts, for example in Acts 1:5 and 8[55], where it says at the beginning: “For it is true that John baptized with water; but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit. …You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you”, which points to the fulfillment of John the Baptist’s prophecy in Luke 3:16,[42] “he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit”.[56]

Johannine literature[ edit ]

Three different terms are used in the Johannine Scriptures, namely, Holy Spirit, Spirit of Truth, and Paraclete.[9] The “Spirit of truth” is used in John 14:17,[57] 15:26,[58] and 16:13.[59][7] First John then contrasts this with the “spirit of error” in 1 John 4:6.[60][7] 1 John 4:1-6 provides for the division between spirits “professing that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God” and those who erroneously deny it—an indication that they are evil spirits.[ 61]

In John 14:26[62] Jesus says: “But the Comforter, [also] the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you everything”. The identity of the “Comforter” has been the subject of debate among theologians, who have put forward several theories on the subject.[63]

Pauline Epistles[edit]

The Holy Spirit plays a key role in Paul’s epistles; and the pneumatology of the apostle Paul is so closely related to his theology and christology as to be almost inseparable from them.[8]

The First Epistle to the Thessalonians, which was probably the first of Paul’s letters, introduces a characterization of the Holy Spirit in 1 Thessalonians 1:6[64] and 1 Thessalonians 4:8[65] which is reflected throughout his [66 ] In 1 Thessalonians 1:6, Paul refers to the imitation of Christ (and himself) and says: “And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, speaking the word in great tribulation with the joy of the Holy One Spirit” whose source is identified at 1 Thessalonians 4:8 as “God giving you His Holy Spirit.”[66][67][68]

These two themes of receiving the Spirit “like Christ” and God as the source of the Spirit persist in the Pauline epistles as characterizing Christians’ relationship with God.[66] For Paul, following Christ includes being willing to be formed by the Holy Spirit, as in Romans 8:4 and 8:11: “But if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, who raises Christ Jesus hath raised from the dead shall also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit which dwells in you.”[69][67]

First Thessalonians also refers to the power of the Holy Spirit in 1 Thessalonians 1:5,[70] a theme found in other Pauline letters as well.[71]

In the Apocrypha[ edit ]

The view that the Holy Spirit is responsible for Mary’s pregnancy as found in the Synoptic Gospels[72] differs from that in the apocryphal Gospel of the Hebrews, accepted as canonical by the fourth-century Nazarenes, and in which Jesus of the saint Spirit speaks of as his mother and thus as feminine.[73] Some held femininity incompatible with the idea that Jesus was conceived of the Holy Spirit; according to the apocryphal Gospel of Philip, for example

Some say, “Mary was conceived by the Holy Spirit.” You are wrong. They don’t know what they’re saying. When did a woman ever get pregnant by a woman?[74]

Jesus and the Holy Spirit[edit] [13] Illustration from the Maesta of In the farewell speech Jesus promised to send the Holy Spirit to his disciples after his departure, Illustration from the Maesta by Duccio, 1308–1311.

The New Testament describes a close relationship between the Holy Spirit and Jesus during His mortal life and ministry.[10] The Apostles’ Creed repeats what is said in the Gospels of Luke and Matthew and states that Jesus was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary.[11]

Specific New Testament references to the interaction of Jesus and the Holy Spirit during His mortal life and the enabling power of the Holy Spirit during His ministry include:[10][11][75]

“Spirit without measure” was given to Jesus at John 3:34, referring to the Word (Rhema) spoken by Jesus being the Word of God.[76]

In his farewell speech to his disciples, Jesus promised that after he left he would “send the Holy Spirit” to them, in John 15:26, which says: “Whom I will send to you of the Father, the Spirit of truth .. . shall testify of me”.[58][12][13]

Mainstream Doctrines[ edit ]

Veni Creator Spiritus Problems playing this file? See media help.

The theology of spirits is called pneumatology. The Holy Spirit is referred to in the Nicene Creed as the Lord and Giver of Life.[84] He is the Creator Spirit who was present before the creation of the universe, and by His power all things in Jesus Christ were created by God the Father.[84] Christian hymns such as “Veni Creator Spiritus” (“Come, Creator Spirit”) reflect this belief.[84]

In early Christianity, the concept of salvation was closely associated with the invocation of “Father, Son and Holy Spirit”,[16][17] and since the first century Christians have called God “Father, Son and Holy Spirit” in prayer, baptism , communion, exorcism, hymn singing, sermon, confession, absolution and blessing.[16][17] This is reflected in the saying: “Before there was a ‘doctrine’ of the Trinity, Christian prayer invoked the Holy Trinity. “[16]

For the majority of Christian denominations, the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Holy Trinity – Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and is God Almighty.[2][3][85] As such he is personally and also fully God, equal in status and coeternal with God, the Father and Son of God.[2][3][85] It differs from the Father and the Son in that it proceeds from the Father (and, according to Roman Catholic, Old Catholic, Anglican, and Protestant accounts, from the Father and the Son) as described in the Nicene Creed.[3] The triune God thus manifests as three Persons (Greek hypostases),[86] in one divine being (Greek: Ousia),[4] called the Deity (from Old English: Deity), the divine essence of God.[87]

In the New Testament, Jesus was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit in the womb of the Virgin Mary while she retained her virginity.[88] The Holy Spirit descended bodily on Jesus as a dove at the time of His baptism, and a voice was heard from heaven: “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”[89][90] He is the Holy One who Helper,[91] the Comforter,[92] the Giver of Grace, He who leads men to the Father and the Son.[84]

The Holy Spirit is credited with inspiring believers and allowing them to interpret all Scripture and leading prophets in both the Old and New Testaments.[93] Christians receive the fruits of the Holy Spirit through His mercy and grace.[94]

God the Holy Spirit[edit]

The Christian doctrine of the Trinity includes the concept of God the Holy Spirit along with God the Son and God the Father.[95][96] Theologian Vladimir Lossky has argued that while God the Son manifested Himself in the act of incarnation as the Son of God, the same did not take place for God the Holy Spirit, who was not revealed.[97] [failed verification] as in 1 Corinthians 6:19,[98] God the Spirit continues to dwell in believers.[96]

Similarly, the Latin treatise De Trinitate (On the Trinity) by St. Augustine of Hippo affirms: “For as the Father is God, and the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God, what no one doubts as to substance, however, we say not that the supreme trinity is itself three gods, but one god… But position and state and places and times are not actually said to be in God, but metaphorically and by similes… And in relation to action (or creation) can it is perhaps best to say of God alone, for God alone creates, and He Himself is not created, nor is He subject to passions, so far as it pertains to that substance whereby He is God… Thus the Father is almighty, the Son almighty, and the Holy Spirit almighty, but not three almighty ones, but one almighty… So whatever is spoken of God in relation to himself is both individually spoken of spoken to each person, that is, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, as well as together of the Trinity itself, nr not in the plural but in the singular.”[99]

In Christian theology, the Holy Spirit is believed to exercise certain divine functions in the life of the Christian or the church. The work of the Holy Spirit is seen as an essential part of introducing man to the Christian faith.[100] The new believer is “born again of the Spirit.”[101] The Holy Spirit makes the Christian life possible by indwelling individual believers and empowering them to live righteously and faithfully.[100] The Holy Spirit also functions as a comforter or paraclete, someone who intercedes or supports or acts as an intercessor, especially in times of trial. And he acts to convince the unsaved person both of the sinfulness of his actions and of his moral standing as a sinner before God.[102] Another ability of the Holy Spirit is the inspiration and interpretation of Scripture. The Holy Spirit both inspires the writing of the scriptures and interprets them for Christians and the church.[103]

Procession of the Holy Spirit[edit]

In John 15:26, Jesus says of the Holy Spirit: “But when the Helper comes that I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth that proceeds from the Father, he will testify about me.”[ 104] 325 ended the First Council of Nicaea, as the first ecumenical council, proclaimed its creed with the words “and in the Holy Spirit”. In 381, the First Council of Constantinople, as the second ecumenical council, expanded the creed and stated that the Holy Spirit “goes forth from the Father” (ἐκ τοῦ Πατρὸς ἐκπορευόμενον). This sentence is based on John 15:26 (ὃ παρὰ τοῦ πατρὸς ἐκπορεύεται). In 451, the Council of Chalcedon, the fourth ecumenical council, reaffirmed the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed. At the same time, the issue of the procession of the Holy Spirit was raised by various Christian theologians with different views and different terminology, thus initiating the debate centered on the filioque clause.

In 589, the Third Council of Toledo officially adopted the doctrine of the procession of the Holy Spirit from the Father and the Son (a Patre et Filio procedere) in its third canon. Over the next few centuries, two distinct schools of thought gradually emerged, Eastern and Western. Eastern theologians taught that the Holy Spirit emanates only from the Father (term referred to as Monoprocessionism), while Western theologians taught that the Holy Spirit emanates from the Father and the Son (term referred to as Filioquism). Debate and controversy between two sides became a major point of difference within Christian pneumatology, including its historical role in setting the stage for the Great Schism of 1054.

Fruit and Gifts of the Spirit[ edit ]

The “fruit of the Holy Spirit”[109] consists of “permanent dispositions”[109] (similar in this respect to the enduring character of the sacraments), virtuous qualities brought forth in the Christian by the work of the Holy Spirit.[110] Galatians 5:22-23 lists nine aspects and says:[110]

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such there is no law.[111]

In the Epistle to the Galatians, these nine characteristics contrast with the “works of the flesh” and emphasize the positive manifestations of the Holy Spirit’s work in believers.[110]

The “gifts of the Holy Spirit”[109] are distinct from the fruitage of the Spirit and consist of specific abilities bestowed upon the individual Christian.[100] They are often known by the Greek word for gift, charisma, from which the term charismatic is derived. There is no universally agreed exhaustive list of gifts, and different Christian denominations use different lists, often referring to 1 Corinthians,[112] Romans 12,[113] and Ephesians 4.[114][115] Pentecostal churches and the charismatic movement teach that the lack of supernatural gifts is due to the neglect of the Holy Spirit and His work by the major denominations.[115] Believers who believe in the relevance of the supernatural gifts sometimes speak of a baptism or filling of the Holy Spirit that the Christian must experience in order to receive these gifts.[116] However, many Christian denominations hold that baptism in the Holy Spirit is identical with conversion and that all Christians are, by definition, baptized in the Holy Spirit.

The “seven gifts of the Holy Spirit”[109] poured out upon a believer at baptism and are traditionally derived from Isaiah 11:1-2,[117] although the New Testament does not refer to Isaiah 11:1-2 for reference of these gifts.[115][118] These 7 gifts are: Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel, Fortitude (Fortitude), Knowledge, Piety, and Fear of God.[115][118] This is the view of the Catholic Church[109][118] and many other mainstream Christian groups.[115]

Denomination variations[ edit ]

Christian denominations have doctrinal differences in their beliefs regarding the Holy Spirit. A well-known example is the Filioque controversy over the Holy Spirit – one of the main differences between the teachings of the main Western Churches and various Eastern Christian denominations (Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, Church of the East).[119][120]

The Filioque debate revolves around whether the Nicene Creed should say that the Spirit “proceeds from the Father” and then come to an end, as the Creed was originally adopted in Greek (and thereafter followed by the Eastern Church), or whether it should say “of the Father and the Son,” as later translated into Latin and adopted by the Western Church, filioque being Latin for “and of the Son.”[121]

Towards the end of the 20th century there were discussions about removing Filioque in the Nicene Creed from Anglican prayer books in line with the Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox approaches, but these have not yet reached a definitive conclusion.[122]

The majority of mainstream Protestantism holds similar views on the theology of the Holy Spirit as the Roman Catholic Church, but there are significant belief differences between Pentecostalism and the rest of Protestantism.[2][123] Pentecostalism focuses on “the baptism of the Holy Spirit” and draws on Acts 1:5, which refers to “now ye shall baptize with the Holy Spirit.”[124] The more recent charismatic movements focus on the “gifts of the Spirit” (such as healing, prophecy, etc.) and take 1 Corinthians 12 as their scriptural basis, but often differ from Pentecostal movements.[125]

Non-Trinitarian views of the Holy Spirit differ significantly from mainstream Christian doctrine.

Catholicism[ edit ]

The Holy Spirit was a theme in at least two papal encyclicals:

The subject of the Holy Spirit is dealt with extensively in the Catechism of the Catholic Church as “I believe in the Holy Spirit” in sections 683 to 747.

Jehovah’s Witnesses and Christadelphians [ edit ]

Jehovah’s Witnesses and Christadelphians do not view the Holy Spirit as an actual person separate from God the Father, but as God’s eternal “energy” or “active force” used to accomplish His will in creation and redemption. [126][127]

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints[ edit ]

Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) believe that the Holy Spirit is the third member of the Godhead. He is a personality of spirit without a body of flesh and bones.[128] He is often referred to as the Spirit, the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God, the Spirit of the Lord, or the Comforter.[129] Latter-day Saints believe in a kind of social trinitarianism and subordinationism, meaning that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are understood as united in will and purpose, but not in substance.[130] The Holy Spirit is believed to be subordinate to the Father and the Son and to work under their direction. The Holy Spirit, like all intelligent beings, is believed to be fundamentally eternal, uncreated, and self-existent.[131]

The LDS Church teaches that the influence of the Holy Ghost can be received before baptism, but the gift or constant companionship of the Holy Ghost—which occurs through the laying on of hands of a duly ordained priesthood holder with a line of authority traced back to Christ by Peter—is only after of baptism when a person is confirmed.[132] Joseph Smith, the founder of the Church, taught: “One can baptize a sandbag just as well as one,” he said, “if it is not done with a view to having sins forgiven and receiving the Holy Ghost. Baptism with water is only half a baptism and is useless without the other half, which is the baptism of the Holy Spirit.”[133]

Symbolism and art[ edit ]

Symbolism [edit]

The Holy Spirit as a dove on a postage stamp from the Faroe Islands

The Holy Spirit is often referred to with metaphors and symbols, both in doctrine and in the Bible. Theologically, these symbols are a key to understanding the Holy Spirit and His actions, and not just artistic representations.[85][134]

Water – signifies the working of the Holy Spirit at baptism so that they are “drenched with one Spirit” such that “by one Spirit [believers] were all baptized.” [135] So the Spirit is also personally the living water that wells up from the crucified Christ [136] as its source and wells up in Christians to eternal life. [134] [137] The Catechism of the Catholic Church, pos. 1137, regards the water of life in the Book of Revelation [138] as “one of the most beautiful symbols of the Holy Spirit”. [139]

In the same way, the Spirit is also personally the living water that wells up from the crucified Christ as its source and wells up in Christians to eternal life. The , article 1137, considers the reference to the water of life in the book of Revelation to be “one of the most beautiful symbols of the Holy Spirit.” Anointing – The symbolism of the blessing with oil also means the Holy Spirit, even to the point of being synonymous with the Holy Spirit. The coming of the Spirit is referred to as his “anointing.” [140] In some denominations, anointing is practiced at Confirmation; (“Chrismation” in the Eastern Churches). Its full power can only be grasped in relation to the primary anointing accomplished by the Holy Spirit, that of Jesus. The title “Christ” (Hebrew “Messiah”) means the “anointed one” by God’s Spirit. [134] [137]

In some denominations, anointing is practiced at Confirmation; (“Chrismation” in the Eastern Churches). Its full power can only be grasped in relation to the primary anointing accomplished by the Holy Spirit, that of Jesus. The title “Christ” (in Hebrew) means “the anointed one” by God’s Spirit. Fire – symbolizes the transformative energy of the actions of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit rested on the disciples on the morning of Pentecost in the form of tongues of fire. [134] [137]

Cloud and Light – The Spirit comes upon the Virgin Mary and “overshadows” her so that she may conceive and give birth to Jesus. On the Mount of Transfiguration the Spirit came in the “cloud and overshadowed” Jesus, Moses and Elijah, Peter, James and John, and “a voice came out of the cloud and said: ‘This is my Son, my chosen one; listen to him!’” [137] [141]

The Dove – When Christ ascends from the waters of his baptism, the Holy Spirit descends upon him in the form of a dove and dwells with him. [134] [137] [142]

Wind – The spirit is likened to “the wind blowing where it will”[143] and described as “a sound from heaven like the rushing of a mighty wind.”[144][134]

Art and architecture[edit]

Stained glass in Ascension Church (Johnstown, Ohio) depicting fire, a symbol of the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit as a dove in The Annunciation by Rubens, 1628.

The Holy Spirit has been represented in Christian art in both the Eastern and Western Churches through a variety of depictions.[145][146][147] The depictions range from almost identical figures representing the three persons of the Holy Trinity to a dove and a flame.

The Holy Spirit is often represented as a dove, based on the account that the Holy Spirit descended on Jesus like a dove when he was baptized in the Jordan.[148] In many paintings of the Annunciation, the Holy Spirit is represented in the form of a dove descending on Mary on rays of light while the Archangel Gabriel announces the coming of Jesus Christ to Mary. A dove can also be seen on the ear of Saint Gregory the Great – as recorded by his secretary – or other authors of Church Fathers dictating their works to them. The dove also parallels the one that brought the olive branch to Noah after the Flood as a symbol of peace.[148]

The book of Acts describes the Holy Spirit descending upon the apostles at Pentecost in the form of wind and tongues of fire resting over the heads of the apostles. Based on the imagery in this account, the Holy Spirit is sometimes symbolized by a flame of fire.[149]

Ancient Celtic Christians represented the Holy Spirit as a goose named Ah Geadh-Glas, meaning wild goose.[150] A goose was chosen rather than the traditional pigeon because geese were perceived as freer than their pigeon counterparts.

Fine arts[edit]

Cathedrals of the Holy Spirit[ edit ]

See also[edit]

References[ edit ]

Sources[edit]

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2019 Top 10 Most Popular Worship Songs in Churches

Faithlife Proclaims publishes the top 10 most popular worship songs in churches of 2019!

The 10 most sung worship songs of 2019 were, in this order:

Build My Life, Pat Barrett What A Beautiful Name, Hillsong Worship This is Amazing Grace, Phil Wickham 10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord), Matt Redman Great Are You Lord, All Sons & Daughters Who You Say I Am, Hillsong Worship How Great is Our God, Chris Tomlin Good, Good Father, Chris Tomlin In Christ Alone, Stuart Townend, Brian Getty, Kristian Stanfill, Passion Living Hope, Phil Wickham

Which song did YOU surprise not make the list?

As we explore elsewhere on this site, religious hymns have been sung since at least the ancient Greek era and have been a central part of Christian worship since its earliest centuries. Very rarely are the lyrics and music of a hymn written by the same person, but more often one person’s lyrics are set to another person’s melody. But what are the greatest anthems of all?

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Here we suggest our favorite combinations of beautiful words and equally great music…

The 6 best anthems of all time

Lead me, O great Redeemer

Few hymns, chosen by Prince William and Catherine Middleton to kick off their wedding in April 2011, set such an uplifting tone as this Welsh masterpiece – and few are as delightful to sing as it. The words of the Welsh Methodist William Williams (1717-1791) are usually accompanied by John Hughes’ magnificent 1905 tune ‘Cwm Rhondda’, named after the valley in South Wales. However, the hymn is better known to many as “Bread of Heaven” due to the famous repetition of words in the first stanza. After that, the following “Feed me till I want no more” traditionally divides the community between those who stay in tune on the high note and those who prefer to go down to the accompanying upwards “Want no moooooore!” ‘ to be sung with appropriate enthusiasm. It’s your decision.

‘Guide me, O Thou Great Redeemer’ is also a popular rugby song for Welsh fans and is considered the second national anthem of Wales (after ‘Land of My Fathers’).

Jerusalem

Another deserved favorite at weddings and a regular at patriotic sing-alongs like the Last Night of the Proms, Jerusalem is also something of an enigma. What exactly was William Blake referring to in his 1804 poem? Was “And Did These Feet in Ancient Times” really praise England, or did the “dark satanic mills” imply a more ominous vision of the future? Hubert Parry wrote his famous tune for it in 1916, and it was at this point that another layer of controversy was added – when the Gloucestershire composer was reluctant to use it in support of the patriotic Fight for Right campaign (for which it had been commissioned) , it was instead picked up by the National Union of Women’s Suffrage Societies. Unusually, Parry’s setting has a four-bar organ intro before each stanza, to which everyone joins in glorious, boisterous unison. The word “belt” comes to mind.

be you my vision

Next we go to Ireland. The words to this uniquely evocative hymn are traditionally said to be the work of Saint Dalían, an Irish poet who spread the word across the north of the country before meeting a sticky end at the hands of pirates in the early seventh century. However, they may well date later. They are commonly sung to the vernacular-derived hymn ‘Slane’, named after a village in County Meath, first found in Patrick Joyce’s 1909 Old Irish Folk Music and Songs. However, “Be Thou My Vision” has the not pretty chant-like phrases of “Slane” all its own – the melody is also used for the anthem “Lord of all hopefulness”.

Dear Lord and Father of Humanity

Well before he composed Jerusalem, Hubert Parry also wrote an oratorio called Judith, which tells the gruesome tale of the Old Testament heroine of the same name and, despite its gory subject, contains a rather beautiful aria in which Queen Meshullemeth tells the children how their ancestors had arrived in Israel . Little did Parry know that six years after his death in 1918, the melody of the aria would be taken from George Gilbert Stocks, a music teacher at Repton School in Derbyshire, and adapted to the hymn ‘Dear Lord and Father of Mankind’, in his words originally found in US Quaker John Greenleaf Whittier’s (1807-92) poem The brewing of Soma – but for the “Repton” melody to work, the last line of each stanza must be repeated. And it is that last line that is the true magic of this hymn as we follow the climax of ‘Earthquake, Wind and Fire’ in the final stanza, descending to a hush for the ‘still little voice of rest’.

We’ve called “Dear Lord and Father of Mankind” one of the best funeral hymns

Amazing Grace

Few anthems tell a story as personal as Amazing Grace. Its author John Newton (1725-1807) was a former slave trader who converted to Christianity after being shipwrecked off County Donegal and later became a staunch abolitionist – the words “That saved a wretch like me!” could refer to both his physical escape as well as his spiritual conversion. Traditionally sung to the tune “New Britain,” a pentatonic (playable only on the black notes on a piano) tune derived from American folk music, its immense popularity has spread far beyond the church, and famous recordings have been made it by the likes of Elvis Presley, soprano Jessye Norman and Johnny Cash.

The day you gave Lord is over

Even the great Ralph Vaughan Williams didn’t get everything right. For some reason the eminent British composer and editor of hymns ‘St Clement’ detested Clement Cotteril Scholefield’s beautifully sweeping melody for the hymn ‘The Day Thou Gavest, Lord, is Ended’, to which the Reverend John Ellerton wrote the lyrics in 1870. I’m sorry, Ralph, but millions of us would disagree, especially when it’s sung so movingly at a loved one’s funeral or memorial service – although it’s specifically an evening song, its words naturally lend it that other purpose. In addition to viewers of BBC’s Songs of Praise, who voted them third in the show’s 2005 poll of favorite hymns, include Queen Victoria, who included them in her Diamond Jubilee service in 1897, and Rick Wakeman, who introduced the show, to the wider fans tune on his 1973 album The Six Wives of Henry VIII.

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Here you will find the lyrics to some of your favorite songs

In music, the word Mass is used for a piece of music sung by a choir. The Roman Catholic, Anglican and Lutheran churches use this. There are two very broad types of Masses: Those using the Ordinary are not tied to the church calendar, they use the same pieces (and words) throughout the year. The Proprium includes those parts of the fair that change throughout the year. In the beginning, masses were sung in Latin or Greek. Examples of Masses not in English are Franz Schubert’s Deutsche Messe or Johannes Brahms’s A German Requiem.

The usual words set to music are known as ordinary. These are the words of ministry that are the same every day. The Ordinary consists of five parts: Kyrie (Lord, have mercy on us…), Gloria (Glory to you…), Credo (I believe in God the Father…), Sanctus (Holy, Holy, Holy…) and Agnus Dei (O Lamb of God…).

The words of the Mass that do not come from the Ordinary are called the Proper. These are words that can change from day to day in the service. The Proper consists of the Introit, Gradual, Alleluia, Tract, Offertory and Communion. There are also some words that are special to certain holidays.

During the Renaissance, church composers set the words of the ordinary mass to music. This music was usually polyphonic: the different sections of the choir (soprano, alto, tenor and bass) all had musical lines that shared the melody and were of equal importance. The words of the proper were not composed to any particular music. They were sung in chorale.

Over the past two centuries, many composers have written Masses that were not intended to be sung in worship: they are written as concert pieces. Some of them are quite long and fill an entire concert program. Some of the most famous masses are those by Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Berlioz, Dvořák, Verdi, Bruckner, Fauré and Vaughan Williams.

What music do I need for a funeral?

If you’re planning a funeral, check out our guide to some of the most popular funeral hymns.

Live music at funeral services is becoming increasingly popular. But which songs work best? With our experience singing at funerals, we’ve put together a list of songs and pieces that can really make a difference at a funeral.

Classic

Schubert’s Ave Maria really is the number one hit for funeral music. It’s a classic piece with a stunning melody, and the best singers will find dazzling moments of delicacy in the top notes. We think it’s particularly effective when sung a cappella as the coffin enters the venue, or as a thoughtful and focused piece during communion.

We get more requests for Schubert’s Ave Maria than for any other song. But did you know that there are several other versions of Ave Maria that are just as beautiful? Caccini’s Ave Maria is written in a minor key, with a swelling sadness, and in Gounod’s Ave Maria the composer superimposed a new melody on a popular piece written by J.S. Bach 140 years ago.

Cesar Francke’s Panis Angelicus is another very popular funeral piece, with a gentle melody and some wonderfully gentle cadences. It is a versatile piece, originally written for tenor with harp, cello and organ, and later arranged for soprano, soprano-tenor duo and four-part choir, among others. It also works with or without instrumental accompaniment.

anthems

Abide With Me remains our most requested anthem, closely followed by the classic patriotic Jerusalem, the thunderous How Great Thou Art and the gentler The Lord Is My Shepherd. Be careful with the latter, however, as there are two very popular versions – one of which you might recognize as the theme tune to The Vicar of Dibley.

Classic pop

Frank Sinatra’s My Way has always been at the top of the list of favorite funeral songs, but as we’re still waiting for someone to request it from us, we’re starting to wonder if it’s slipping off the top. If you’re looking for the classic crooner sound but a little off the beaten track, you could opt for Perry Como’s For The Good Times or Englebert Humperdinck’s The Last Waltz. Of course, We’ll Meet Again by Vera Lynn was also a classic pop song of its time, but we like to do something different with it – head over to our listening page to hear our singer’s updated version.

Barbra Streisand and Bette Midler are firm favorites, particularly Wind Beneath My Wings from the movie Beaches. We’ve found that a male tenor singing Streisand’s The Way We Were is a great way to add something different to an old favorite. Visit our listening page to hear it along with many other great song ideas.