Spiritual songs > During the Liturgy>

So great is God

Boh predvicnyj

Printable PDF

This setting of an early 18th century poem by composer Dmitri Bortnyansky (1751-1825) is considered non-liturgical in the Russian Orthodox church, being sung on state and military occasions, but became popular in the Russian emigre Church after the fall of Communism. It also proved to be popular in our church, which it was sometimes sung a a hymn before the Divine Liturgy.

For the Slavonic original, see Kol’ slaven naš.

Both verses in English are by Fr. William Levkulic; the second was originally attached to the hymn to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, O Jesus Lord, we ask you to bless us.

Note: Occasionally this hymn is titled "So great the glory", a slightly more literal translation of the Slavonic title. For purposes here, however, hymns are listed under the opening words of the translation itself.

Sources

The Slavonic text and English translation were published in the Hymns section of Monsignor Levkulic's The Divine Liturgy, a Book of Prayer (1978), as number 6 in the "Eucharistic Hymns" section; the second verse is provided under hymn number 10 in the same collection.