Gloria Patri
“Glory to the Father.”
Lesser Doxology (Christian liturgy)
What does “Gloria Patri” mean?
Gloria Patri translates as “Glory to the Father.”
The opening words of a short Christian prayer of praise to the Trinity.
“Gloria Patri” word by word
| Latin | English | Grammar |
|---|---|---|
| Gloria | glory | nominative singular feminine of gloria, “glory, praise”; the subject of the sentence, with the verb “be” understood |
| Patri | to the Father | dative singular of pater, “father”; the dative marks the one the glory is given to |
How to pronounce “Gloria Patri”
Both pronunciations sound the same here, since neither word has a c or g before e or i, or a v. Stress the first syllable of both words.
The story behind it
Word for word the phrase says “glory to the Father”. There is no verb: Latin leaves out “be” easily, so it reads as a short exclamation of praise, “Glory be to the Father”.
These are the opening words of the Lesser Doxology, “Gloria Patri, et Filio, et Spiritui Sancto”, “Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit”. It is a short prayer of praise to the Trinity and is traditionally said or sung at the end of a psalm in Christian liturgy.
The doxology took shape in the early centuries of the Church, and in the Latin West it became a fixed part of worship. Today it is still used in Catholic prayer, including the Rosary, and in many other Christian traditions, often under the name “Gloria Patri”.
How to use “Gloria Patri”
Suits a tattoo, a church banner, a card for a baptism or confirmation, or a caption for a religious or musical work. It is best where a clear nod to Christian worship is intended.
- Latin
- Gloria Patri
- English
- Glory to the Father.
- Source
- Lesser Doxology (Christian liturgy)
- Era
- Late Antiquity
- Theme
- Faith
Common mistakes
- It is the opening of a longer prayer. The full Lesser Doxology continues “et Filio, et Spiritui Sancto”, so the two words alone are only the first part.
- Do not confuse it with the Greater Doxology, “Gloria in excelsis Deo” (“Glory to God in the highest”), a different and much longer hymn.
- Patri is the dative form of pater. Writing “Gloria Pater” is wrong, because it drops the case ending that means “to the Father”.
Questions about “Gloria Patri”
What does “Gloria Patri” mean literally?
“Glory to the Father.” Gloria is “glory” and Patri is “to the Father”, with the dative case showing who receives the glory.
What is the full “Gloria Patri”?
In Latin it runs “Gloria Patri, et Filio, et Spiritui Sancto”, meaning “Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit”. A longer form continues “sicut erat in principio”.
How do you pronounce “Gloria Patri”?
Say it GLOH-ree-ah PAH-tree. Classical and Church Latin sound the same for these two words.
Is “Gloria Patri” the same as “Gloria in excelsis Deo”?
No. The Gloria Patri is the short Lesser Doxology, while “Gloria in excelsis Deo” is a separate, longer hymn of praise used at Mass.
More to explore
Translation and grammar checked by Latin Quoter · last reviewed November 2026
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