Hymn

Name: Hymn
Author: Georgius Peccator

Hymnus

Georgius Peccator · written perhaps in the 9th century AD · PG 66

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Contents2 passages

1Prayer for cleansing and light
2Petition for cleansing and light

Author

Georgius Peccator — Known only by the name the poem gives, "George the sinner". The same short prayer to Christ is also counted as the last of the hymns of Synesius of Cyrene (c. 410) and is printed with them in Migne's Greek Fathers, volume 66. When George lived is not known.

All works by Georgius Peccator

About this text

A short prayer in verse by George, who calls himself a sinner, asking Christ to free him from his passions and let him see Christ's light and sing.

Georgius Peccator wrote this hymn, addressing it to Christ. He identifies himself as a sinner and a servant of Christ, and the poem is a brief metrical prayer. The occasion is personal: the poet asks Christ for purification and for the vision of divine light so that he may sing praise to the Father and the Holy Spirit.

The hymn opens by invoking Christ as the Son of the high-ruling God and asking him to remember the sinful servant who wrote these lines. The speaker prays for release from heart-bred passions that grow in his impure soul. He then asks to see Christ's holy radiance, so that, appearing in that light, he may sing a healing song for souls and limbs to the Father and the Holy Spirit.

A reader should know that the poet calls himself a sinner, using the Greek term that means sinful or wicked. The phrase rendered here as heart-bred passions refers to inner afflictions bred in the heart. The holy radiance is the divine light of Christ. The song the poet hopes to sing is described as healing. No biblical quotations or scriptural book names appear in this hymn.

Printed text used

Translated from PG 106 (Greek)

This work has passed this project's source check. This is an AI-assisted study translation. Source fidelity and completeness have not been independently certified. Open Greek on each section for the source text. This is not a complete critical edition.

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Prayer for cleansing and light§1

The poet Georgius Peccator opens his hymn by addressing Christ directly in prayer.

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1Remember, Christ, Son of the most high God, the heart of your servant, a sinner, who has written these lines. Grant me release from the heart-bred passions that grow in my impure soul. And grant me to see, Savior Jesus, your holy radiance, so that, appearing in that light, I may sing a healing song for souls and limbs to the great Father and the pure Holy Spirit.

Greek · §1

The Greek is on each section page: §1

Petition for cleansing and light§2

The poet Georgius, calling himself a sinner, prays to Christ for release from passions and for vision of divine light so he may sing praise.

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2Christ, Son of the most high God, remember your servant's heart—a sinner's heart—that has written these lines. Grant me release from the heart-bred passions growing in my impure soul. And grant me, Savior Jesus, to see your holy radiance, so that, appearing in that light, I may sing a healing song for souls and limbs to the great Father and the pure Holy Spirit.

Greek · §2

The Greek is on each section page: §2

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