The Gloria, or Gloria in excelsis Deo (“Glory to God in the highest”), is the ancient hymn of praise sung at Mass on Sundays outside Advent and Lent, on solemnities and on feasts. It begins with the song of the angels at the birth of Jesus and continues with praise of the Father, a plea to Christ the Lamb of God, and a final acclamation of the Holy Trinity. The Church calls it “a most ancient and venerable hymn” (General Instruction of the Roman Missal, 53).
Below you will find the Gloria in Latin, in a traditional English translation, its meaning line by line, and when it is sung.
The Gloria in Latin
Gloria in excelsis Deo
et in terra pax hominibus bonae voluntatis.
Laudamus te.
Benedicimus te.
Adoramus te.
Glorificamus te.
Gratias agimus tibi propter magnam gloriam tuam.
Domine Deus rex celestis Deus pater omnipotens.
Domine Fili unigenite Iesu Christe.
Domine Deus Agnus Dei Filius Patris.
Qui tollis peccata mundi miserere nobis.
Qui tollis peccata mundi suscipe deprecationem nostram.
Qui sedes ad dexteram Patris miserere nobis.
Quoniam Tu solus Sanctus.
Tu solus Dominus.
Tu solus altissimus Iesu Christe.
Cum Sancto Spiritu in gloria Dei Patris. Amen.
The Gloria in traditional English
This translation is from William Gahan’s Complete Manual of Catholic Piety, a prayer book used by English-speaking Catholics in the nineteenth century:
Glory be to God on high, and on earth peace to men of good will. We praise thee, we bless thee, we adore thee, we glorify thee. We give thanks to thee for thy great glory, O Lord God, heavenly King, God the Father, almighty. O Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son. O Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, who takest away the sins of the world have mercy on us; who takest away the sins of the world, receive our prayer; who sitteth at the right hand of the Father, have mercy on us. For thou only art holy, thou only art the Lord, thou only, O Jesus Christ, together with the Holy Ghost, art most high, in the glory of God the Father. Amen.
The English text used at Mass today (the 2011 translation of the Roman Missal) begins: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to people of good will.” It follows the Latin more closely than the older version above, but the hymn is the same.
Where the Gloria comes from
The opening words are the song of the angels to the shepherds on the night Jesus was born:
Glory to God in the highest; and on earth peace to men of good will.
The rest of the hymn was composed in Greek by the early Church, probably in the fourth century, and is sometimes called the “Greater Doxology” (the Glory Be is the “Lesser Doxology”). It was first sung in Rome at the Christmas Mass during the night, then on Sundays and feasts when a bishop celebrated, and gradually at every festive Mass.
What the Gloria means
The hymn has three parts:
- Praise of God the Father. After the angels’ song, the Church praises, blesses, adores and glorifies God, and thanks him “for thy great glory,” praising God simply for who he is.
- A plea to Christ. The hymn turns to Jesus, “Lamb of God, Son of the Father,” who takes away the sins of the world, and asks him three times for mercy and to receive our prayer.
- Praise of the Trinity. It ends by proclaiming that Christ alone is holy, alone the Lord, alone the Most High, with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father.
When is the Gloria sung at Mass?
| Sung | Not sung |
|---|---|
| Sundays outside Advent and Lent | Sundays of Advent and Lent |
| Solemnities and feasts | Ordinary weekdays and memorials |
| Christmas, including the Mass during the Night | Funeral Masses |
| Holy Thursday (Mass of the Lord’s Supper), with bells | Good Friday (no Mass) |
| The Easter Vigil, as the bells ring again | |
| Wedding Masses and other solemn celebrations |
The silence of the Gloria in Advent helps the Church to “hear it new” at Christmas, when it returns with the angels’ song. In Lent it is omitted until Holy Thursday, when it is sung with the ringing of bells, which then fall silent until the Gloria of the Easter Vigil.
See the order of the Mass for where the Gloria comes in the liturgy.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between the Gloria and the Glory Be?
The Gloria (Gloria in excelsis) is the long hymn sung at Mass. The Glory Be (Gloria Patri) is the short doxology prayed after the psalms and in the Rosary.
Why is the Gloria not sung in Advent?
Advent is a season of joyful waiting. The Church saves the angels’ song for Christmas, when it bursts out again.
Can I pray the Gloria at home?
Yes. It is a beautiful prayer of praise in the morning, on Sundays and on feast days.
Who wrote the Gloria?
The first line comes from Luke 2:14. The rest is an anonymous hymn of the early Greek-speaking Church, translated into Latin, traditionally linked with St. Hilary of Poitiers.
More prayers of the Mass
- The order of the Mass
- The Glory Be
- The Confiteor (I confess)
- The Nicene Creed
- Catholic prayers in Latin
- Christmas Mass 2026
Texts and sources
- Latin text: Latin Wikisource, “Gloria in Excelsis Deo” (text of the Roman Missal).
- Traditional English: William Gahan, The Complete Manual of Catholic Piety, Ordinary of the Mass, public domain (Project Gutenberg).
- Scripture: Luke 2:14, Douay-Rheims Bible (Challoner), public domain.
- General Instruction of the Roman Missal, no. 53.