Anglican Canticles Trivia Quiz

Answer: Gloria in Excelsis

Canticle 20, titled Glory to God in English, is also known as Gloria in Excelsis. It comes from the song the angels sang to the shepherds when Jesus was born (Luke 2:14). This canticle is known as "the Greater Doxology". The 1979 Book of Common Prayer uses it as part of the Eucharist rite. It is not used in Lent or Advent, which are penitential seasons.

Answer: The Song of Mary

Also known as the Magnificat in Latin, Canticle 15, The Song of Mary, is drawn from Luke 1:46-55. It begins:

"My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior;
for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed:
the Almighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his Name."

A canticle is traditionally sung or said after each of the readings (lessons) in the Morning Prayer service in the Daily Office of the Episcopal Church.

Answer: Venite

Venite is Latin for "Come," the first word of this canticle. The lyrics of this song are drawn from Psalm 95:1-7. In the Book of Hebrews, the Psalm is attributed to King David. In The Book of Common Prayer Rite II translation, it ends, "Oh, that today you would hearken to his voice!"

Answer: Song of Simeon

This canticle is taken from Luke 2:29-32. Simeon speaks these words when Joseph and Mary present Jesus at the temple. According to the Gospel of Luke, it had been revealed to Simeon "that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ" (Luke 2:26, ESV). The canticle continues:

"A Light to enlighten the nations,
and the glory of your people Israel."

Answer: Song of Isaiah

This is Canticle 9, the First Song of Isaiah. The Book of Common Prayer also contains Canticles 10 and 11, the Second and Third Songs of Isaiah. The First Song of Isaiah draws its lyrics from Isaiah 12:2-6. It continues,

"For the Lord is my stronghold and my sure defense,
and he will be my Savior.
Therefore you shall draw water with rejoicing
from the springs of salvation..."

Answer: The Song of Moses

The Song of Moses, Canticle 8, is drawn from Exodus chapter 15. It begins, "I will sing to the Lord, for he is lofty and uplifted; the horse and its rider has he hurled into the sea." The song alludes to Moses parting the Red Sea and the waves swallowing Pharaoh's pursuing army.

Answer: Song of Zechariah

This Canticle, number 16, is drawn from Luke 1:68-79. In Luke, Zechariah was a priest of the temple and the father of John the Baptist. When the angel Gabriel announced that Zechariah's barren wife, Elizabeth, would bear a son, Zechariah doubted the promise and was struck mute. When John was born, Zecheriah's speech was restored, and he praised God with the words of this canticle.

Answer: Song of Creation

Canticle 12, A Song of Creation, comes from the addition to Daniel that appears after Daniel 3:23 in some translations of the Bible. It is included in the Greek Septuagint, a Greek translation of the Hebrew scriptures.

This addition is known as the Song of the Three Young Men or the Song of the Three Children. It is part of the Catholic and Orthodox canons, but not a part of the Protestant canon. While the Anglican church does not consider it to be canonical, it is listed in Article VI of the Thirty Nine Articles as one of "the other Books (as Hierome saith) the Church doth read for example of life and instruction of manners; but yet doth it not apply them to establish any doctrine."

Canticle 13, "A Song of Praise," also comes from this addition to Daniel.

Answer: Song of the Lamb

Canticle 18, A Song of the Lamb, begins:

"Splendor and honor and kingly power
are yours by right, O Lord our God,
For you created everything that is,
and by your will they were created and have their being;
And yours by right, O Lamb that was slain,
for with your blood you have redeemed for God,
From every family, language, people, and nation,
a kingdom of priests to serve our God."

The lyrics to this canticle come from Revelation 4:11, 5:9-10, 13. In Latin, it is called "Dignus es", which translates to "You Are Worthy."

Answer: Song of Penitence

Canticle 14 comes from the Prayer of Manasseh. Manasseh, one of the most idolatrous kings of Israel, was taken captive to Babylon, where, according to 2 Chronicles, he prayed for mercy and repented. The prayer itself, however, was a later addition to the Bible.

It is contained in the Ethiopian Bible, in some editions of the Greek Septuagint, in the Latin Vulgate, in the Geneva Bible, and in the 1611 King James Bible. Though it is not considered canonical by Anglicans, it, along with other parts of the Apocrypha, is employed for liturgical use.