English text by Omer Westendorf Latin hymn traditionally attributed to St. Ignatius of Antioch
107–1916 · USA · Early Church
This entry represents a collaborative hymnographic work combining two distinct historical figures: St. Ignatius of Antioch (c. 35-107 CE), an early Christian martyr and Bishop of Antioch whose epistles emphasized Christian charity and unity, and Omer Westendorf (1916-1998), an American liturgist and hymnodist. The hymn draws from a Latin text traditionally attributed to St. Ignatius from the Medieval Christian tradition, with Westendorf providing an English adaptation in the 20th century. Westendorf was instrumental in the American liturgical renewal movement and made significant contributions to modern English hymnody, particularly through his work translating and adapting traditional Latin hymns for contemporary worship. This collaboration exemplifies the ongoing tradition of recovering and reinterpreting ancient Christian texts for modern congregational use.