Spiritual songs > Hymns to the Mother of God
Anhel Božij
The text of this hymn to the Mother of God is that of Monsignor William Levkulic, who also published an English translation, When the angel came. This has proved to be one of the most popular and enduring hymns in our church's repertoire.
The two verses given here concern the Annunciation of the angel Gabriel to the Theotokos (commemorated on March 25). There is one verse for each mystery of the Rosary.
This hymn was reviewed as part of the Hymnal Project of the Metropolitan Cantor Institute. See the discussion page.
Sources
This hymn was not included in the Užhorod Pisennik (1913) or Father Stefan Papp's Duchovňi Pisňi (1969).
In 1978, Father William Levkulic published the first two verses (without music) in The Divine Liturgy, a Book of Prayer. Four verses, with music, were included in the Marian Hymnal (1984); the additional verses describe the Dormition / Assumption of the Theotokos, and her coronation as Queen of Heaven.