“Holy, Holy, Holy”

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Hymnal Journaling

2. Read History

3. Color/Doodle Hymn

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The Author of the Hymn

THE AUTHOR ~ Reginald Heber

Born April 21,1783 in Cheshire, Britain
Died April 3, 1826 in Madras, India

Reginald was an English bishop, man of letters and hymn-writer. After 16 years as a country parson, he served as Bishop of Calcutta until his death at the age of 42. The son of a rich landowner and cleric, Heber gained fame at Oxford University as a poet. After graduation he made an extended tour of Scandinavia, Russia and Central Europe. Ordained in 1807, he took over his father’s old parish. He also wrote hymns and general literature.

He was consecrated Bishop of Calcutta in October 1823. Arduous duties, a hostile climate and poor health led to his collapse and death after less than three years in India. Memorials were erected there and in St Paul’s Cathedral, London. 

History of Hymn

THE HISTORY ~ “Holy, Holy, Holy”

The hymn was written in the early 1800s during Heber’s time as vicar (1807–1823) in Hodnet, England, a period in which the author was prolific, writing more than 100 hymns, many having survived to modern times. It was first published posthumously in A Selection of Psalms and Hymns for the Parish Church of Banbury (Third Edition, 1826), and thereafter by the writer’s widow in Hymns Written and Adapted to the Weekly Church Service of the Year (1827)

It was published when Anglican authorities disapproved of the singing of hymns in churches, other than metrical psalms, although there was considerable informal hymn-singing in parishes. It is considered the author’s best known and most widely used hymn, and remains popular in many denominations. It has been described as one of the rare hymns which appears “in just about every hymnal”.