The Te Deum (/teɪ ˈdeɪəm/ or /tiː ˈdiːəm/,[1][2] Latin: [te ˈde.um]; from its incipit, Te Deum laudamus (Latin for 'Thee, God, we praise')) is a Latin Christian hymn traditionally ascribed to a date before AD 500, but perhaps with antecedents that place it much earlier.[3] It is central to the Ambrosian hymnal, which spread throughout the Latin Church with other parts of the Ambrosian Rite of Milan in the 6th to 8th centuries. It is sometimes known as the Ambrosian Hymn, although authorship by Saint Ambrose is unlikely. The term Te Deum can also refer to a short religious service (of blessing or thanks) that is based upon the hymn.[4]
It continues in use in many contexts by several denominations. In particular it is the core of a short church service of thanksgiving held, often at short notice, to celebrate good news such as a military victory, the signing of a peace treaty, or the birth of a royal child.
- ^ "Te Deum". Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary. Merriam-Webster. Retrieved 26 January 2023.
- ^ "Te Deum". The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (5th ed.). HarperCollins. Retrieved 26 January 2023.
- ^ Kooy, Brian K. (25 September 2007). "The Catholic Encyclopedia (New Advent)2007313Kevin Knight. The Catholic Encyclopedia (New Advent). Last visited May 2007. URL: www.newadvent.org/cathen/index.html Gratis". Reference Reviews. 21 (7): 14–16. doi:10.1108/09504120710821550. ISSN 0950-4125.
- ^ Pinnock, William Henry (1858). "Te Deum, a Separate Service". The laws and usages of the Church and clergy. Cambridge: J. Hall and Son. p. 1301.