Gloria Patri in Latin
The Gloria Patri, often called the Glory Be, is a short Latin doxology used across Western Christian prayer. Here it is with pronunciation, a plain English meaning, and notes on the familiar phrase in saecula saeculorum.
Working with a passage of your own? Latin translator translates Latin both ways.
Prayer in Latin
Traditional Lesser Doxology
Transliteration
How to say it
What it means in English
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning, and now, and always, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
The familiar wording (Traditional public-domain English form):
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
A few things worth knowing
- In saecula saeculorum literally means "unto ages of ages," an idiom for forever.
- Spiritui is dative singular: "to the Spirit," matching Patri and Filio.
- Some modern English forms say "Holy Spirit" where older forms say "Holy Ghost."
Why it is called the Lesser Doxology
The Gloria Patri is called the Lesser Doxology to distinguish it from the longer Gloria in excelsis. It is brief, Trinitarian, and often appended to psalms and canticles.
The final phrase
Latin in saecula saeculorum is a compact way of saying forever. It is the same kind of idiom readers meet in biblical and liturgical Latin.
Where this text comes from
We use Traditional Latin Lesser Doxology (Gloria Patri), a public-domain edition, so the wording here is stable and free to read, copy, and share. You can check the source for yourself.
More prayers and verses in their original languages
Frequently Asked Questions
- What does Gloria Patri mean?
- It means "Glory to the Father." Gloria means glory, and Patri means to the Father.
- What is in saecula saeculorum?
- It means "unto ages of ages," a Latin idiom for forever.
- Is Gloria Patri the same as Gloria in excelsis?
- No. Gloria Patri is the short Lesser Doxology; Gloria in excelsis is the longer hymn of the Mass.