also known as Holy, Holy, Holy, The Sanctus, Tersanctus
Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus Dominus Deus Sabaoth.
Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of Hosts.
Pleni sunt caeli et terra gloria tua.
Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in excelsis.
Hosanna in the highest.
Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in excelsis.
Hosanna in the highest.
The Sanctus is the hymn the Church sings at the climax of the Preface, just before the Eucharistic Prayer. Its first words are the song of the seraphim that the prophet Isaiah heard before the throne of God (Isaiah 6:3); its second half — Benedictus qui venit — is the cry of the crowds who greeted Christ entering Jerusalem (Matthew 21:9). In singing it, the faithful on earth join their voices to the unending praise of the angels in heaven.
When prayed: Sung or said at every Mass at the conclusion of the Preface, immediately before the Eucharistic Prayer begins.
The Latin text of the Sanctus alongside its English translation, line by line.
| Latin | English |
|---|---|
| Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus Dominus Deus Sabaoth. | Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of Hosts. |
| Pleni sunt caeli et terra gloria tua. | Heaven and earth are full of your glory. |
| Hosanna in excelsis. | Hosanna in the highest. |
| Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini. | Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. |
| Hosanna in excelsis. | Hosanna in the highest. |
Word-by-word definitions and example uses. Tap any word to learn its meaning, then return to the prayer with new ears.
Definition: Holy
Sanctus est nomen eius. (Holy is his name.)
Definition: Lord
Dominus regnat in caelo. (The Lord reigns in heaven.)
Definition: God
Deus amat omnes. (God loves everyone.)
Definition: Hosts/Armies
Deus Sabaoth vocatur. (God is called the God of Hosts.)
Definition: Full
Pleni sunt lacrimis. (They are full of tears.)
Definition: are
Florae sunt pulchrae. (The flowers are beautiful.)
Definition: heavens/skies
Caeli sunt sereni. (The skies are clear.)
Definition: earth/land
Terra est fertilis. (The earth is fertile.)
Definition: glory
Gloria in excelsis Deo. (Glory to God in the highest.)
Definition: your
Domus tua magna est. (Your house is large.)
Definition: A cry of praise or adoration
Hosanna filio David. (Hosanna to the son of David.)
Definition: in/on
Puella in hortum est. (The girl is in the garden.)
Definition: the highest
Cantus in excelsis resonat. (The song resounds in the highest.)
Definition: Blessed
Benedictus fructus ventris tui. (Blessed is the fruit of your womb.)
Definition: who
Vir qui venit est amicus. (The man who comes is a friend.)
Definition: comes
Puella venit celeriter. (The girl comes quickly.)
Definition: name
Nomen meum est Marcus. (My name is Marcus.)
Definition: of the Lord
Templum Domini sacrum est. (The temple of the Lord is sacred.)
The Sanctus is the acclamation of praise sung at every Mass at the end of the Preface, just before the Canon (Eucharistic Prayer). It unites two passages of Scripture: the threefold 'Holy' of the angels before God's throne (Isaiah 6:3) and the 'Hosanna' and 'Blessed is he who comes' of Palm Sunday (Matthew 21:9). It is one of the most ancient parts of the Mass.
The threefold 'Holy, Holy, Holy' comes directly from Isaiah's vision of the seraphim crying out before the throne of God. The Fathers of the Church have long seen in this threefold cry a hidden confession of the Most Holy Trinity — one God, holy in three Persons — though its first and plainest sense is that God's holiness is beyond all measure.
Dominus Deus Sabaoth means 'Lord God of Hosts.' Sabaoth is a Hebrew word left untranslated in the Latin, meaning 'armies' or 'hosts' — the ranks of the angels. To call God the 'Lord of Hosts' is to confess Him as the almighty King over all the powers of heaven.
The Sanctus concludes the Preface — the prayer of thanksgiving that follows the dialogue 'Lift up your hearts.' Having been invited to join the angels in their hymn of praise, the whole congregation sings the Sanctus, and then the priest begins the Eucharistic Prayer over the bread and wine.
The prayer Christ Himself taught — the heart of every Christian's life of prayer.
The greeting of the Archangel Gabriel, joined to the Church's own petition.
The Church's ancient doxology: glory to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
The Church's evening hymn to Mary, our life, our sweetness, and our hope.
St. Bernard's confident plea to the Mother of God.
Three times a day the Church remembers the Word made flesh.
Credo teaches you to read the Sanctus (and every other Catholic prayer) in Latin the way the saints did — through the words themselves, not grammar drills.
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