He whose confession God of old accepted
He whose confession God of old accepted. Laurence Housman* (1865-1959).
This is a translation of ‘Iste confessor domini sacratus’*, a Latin hymn of unknown origin but probably written in the 8th century. The original was widely used: it was written for the feast of a confessor, that is, one who avowed the Christian faith in the face of danger, but did not suffer martyrdom. The translation appeared in EH, to be sung to plainsong or to the tune ISTE CONFESSOR:
He whose confession God of old accepted,Whom through the ages all now hold in honour,Gaining his guerdon this day came to enter Heaven’s high portal.
God-fearing, watchful, pure of mind and body,Holy...
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Cite this article
MLA style (see MLA Style Manual and Guide to Scholarly Publishing, 3rd Ed.)
. "He whose confession God of old accepted."
The Canterbury Dictionary of Hymnology. Canterbury Press. Web. 7 Feb. 2026.<
http://www.hymnology.co.uk/h/he-whose-confession-god-of-old-accepted>.
Chicago style (see The Chicago Manual of Style, 16th Ed.)
. "He whose confession God of old accepted."
The Canterbury Dictionary of Hymnology. Canterbury Press, accessed February 7, 2026,
http://www.hymnology.co.uk/h/he-whose-confession-god-of-old-accepted.