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Oxyrhynchus hymn
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Oxyrhynchus hymn
The Oxyrhynchus hymn (or P. Oxy. XV 1786) is the earliest known manuscript of a Christian Greek hymn to contain both lyrics and musical notation. The papyrus on which the hymn was written dates from around the end of the 3rd century AD. It is on Papyrus 1786 of the Oxyrhynchus papyri, originally kept at the Papyrology Rooms of the Sackler Library, Oxford, which was renamed the Bodleian Art, Archaeology and Ancient World Library in 2022. The manuscript was discovered in 1918 in Oxyrhynchus, Egypt, and later published in 1922.
The lyrics of the Oxyrhynchus hymn were written in Greek, and poetically invoke silence for the praise of the Holy Trinity (i.e. cosmic stillness, a motif of ancient Greek hymnody). Historically, the hymn demonstrates Greek civilizational continuity where erudite Christian Greeks used and accepted the musical notation of their classical Greek predecessors.
The music is written in Greek vocal notation. It is entirely diatonic, with an ambitus of exactly an octave from F to F an octave above, and a final nominally on G (assuming a key signature without sharps or flats). The notation is Hypolydian, and employs the rhythmic symbols macron (diseme), leimma + macron, stigme, hyphen, and colon. The text is largely set syllabically, with a few short melismas. The hymn's meter is essentially anapaestic, though there are some irregularities.
The Oxyrhynchus hymn is the only surviving fragment of notated Christian Greek music from the first four hundred years of the Christian period, although historian and musician Kenneth Levy has argued that the Sanctus melody best preserved in the Western medieval Requiem mass dates from around the fourth century. Modern recordings of the hymn have been included on a number of releases of Ancient Greek music.
The Phos Hilaron and the Oxyrhynchus hymn constitute the earliest extant Christian Greek hymn texts reasonably certain to have been used in Christian worship, but are neither drawn from the Bible nor modeled on Biblical passages.
In 2025, Australian historian John Dickson released a feature-length documentary called The First Hymn which chronicles this Christian hymn's journey from its desert origins to its modern adaptation, featuring composers Chris Tomlin and Ben Fielding. The song by Tomlin and Fielding was released worldwide on 11 April 2025. The film was released in cinemas across Australia and New Zealand on 31 July 2025 and ran for four weeks.
Following the documentary’s release, the third century hymn entered contemporary worship contexts. In the week of 11 August 2025, it was reported as the fourth most sung song in Australian churches.
"The First Hymn" is also featured on Chris Tomlin's 2025 album The King Is Still the King, his eighteenth studio album, which includes collaborations with Ben Fielding and other artists. The album has been described as combining biblical themes, worship, and musical elements.
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Oxyrhynchus hymn
The Oxyrhynchus hymn (or P. Oxy. XV 1786) is the earliest known manuscript of a Christian Greek hymn to contain both lyrics and musical notation. The papyrus on which the hymn was written dates from around the end of the 3rd century AD. It is on Papyrus 1786 of the Oxyrhynchus papyri, originally kept at the Papyrology Rooms of the Sackler Library, Oxford, which was renamed the Bodleian Art, Archaeology and Ancient World Library in 2022. The manuscript was discovered in 1918 in Oxyrhynchus, Egypt, and later published in 1922.
The lyrics of the Oxyrhynchus hymn were written in Greek, and poetically invoke silence for the praise of the Holy Trinity (i.e. cosmic stillness, a motif of ancient Greek hymnody). Historically, the hymn demonstrates Greek civilizational continuity where erudite Christian Greeks used and accepted the musical notation of their classical Greek predecessors.
The music is written in Greek vocal notation. It is entirely diatonic, with an ambitus of exactly an octave from F to F an octave above, and a final nominally on G (assuming a key signature without sharps or flats). The notation is Hypolydian, and employs the rhythmic symbols macron (diseme), leimma + macron, stigme, hyphen, and colon. The text is largely set syllabically, with a few short melismas. The hymn's meter is essentially anapaestic, though there are some irregularities.
The Oxyrhynchus hymn is the only surviving fragment of notated Christian Greek music from the first four hundred years of the Christian period, although historian and musician Kenneth Levy has argued that the Sanctus melody best preserved in the Western medieval Requiem mass dates from around the fourth century. Modern recordings of the hymn have been included on a number of releases of Ancient Greek music.
The Phos Hilaron and the Oxyrhynchus hymn constitute the earliest extant Christian Greek hymn texts reasonably certain to have been used in Christian worship, but are neither drawn from the Bible nor modeled on Biblical passages.
In 2025, Australian historian John Dickson released a feature-length documentary called The First Hymn which chronicles this Christian hymn's journey from its desert origins to its modern adaptation, featuring composers Chris Tomlin and Ben Fielding. The song by Tomlin and Fielding was released worldwide on 11 April 2025. The film was released in cinemas across Australia and New Zealand on 31 July 2025 and ran for four weeks.
Following the documentary’s release, the third century hymn entered contemporary worship contexts. In the week of 11 August 2025, it was reported as the fourth most sung song in Australian churches.
"The First Hymn" is also featured on Chris Tomlin's 2025 album The King Is Still the King, his eighteenth studio album, which includes collaborations with Ben Fielding and other artists. The album has been described as combining biblical themes, worship, and musical elements.