doxologia

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doxologia, doxology (from the Gr. doxa, glory, and logos, discourse). Any liturgical formula of praise, as the Gloria patri (Glory be to the Father, etc., i.e. the lesser doxology, or doxologia parva, used at the end of the Psalms), or the Gloria in excelsis Deo (Glory to God in the highest—the greater doxology, or doxologia magna).

The ‘greater doxology’ is a part of the Roman Mass (sung to differing plainsong according to the feast); properly it should be left to the priest until the words ‘Et in terra pax’, when the choir should enter, but composers such as Bach, Mozart, and Beethoven have ignored this. In its Eng. wording the greater doxology is a part of the Anglican Communion Service.

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