Glossary of Terms

Hosmer, Rachel Elizabeth

(May 15, 1908-Dec. 23, 1988). Educator and founder of the Order of St. Helena. She was born in Everett, Massachusetts. Hosmer attended Smith College, 1926-1927, and the Boston Museum School of Fine Arts, 1927-1928. In Aug. 1928 she entered the Convent of St. Anne, Boston, and took the name Rachel. In 1933 she received her […]

Host (Eucharistic)

The consecrated bread of the eucharist. The term is from the Latin hostia, “victim.” Use of the term reflects an understanding of the eucharist in sacrificial terms relative to Christ's death on the cross. The term is also extended to mean the bread or wafers to be consecrated at the eucharist. The individual wafers of […]

Hound of Heaven

” This image for God who loves us persistently is from the poem “The Hound of Heaven” by the English poet Francis Thompson (1859-1907). The poem recalls how one fled God, even “in the mist of tears,” but eventually fell into God's loving embrace. This image reminds us that God's love is not deterred by […]

House Blessing

See Celebration for a Home.

House of Bishops

This second house, along with the House of Deputies, of the General Convention is composed of all bishops, active and retired, of the church. It meets concurrently with the House of Deputies during General Convention, and also holds yearly meetings between conventions.

Hugh of Lincoln

(c. 1140-Nov. 16, 1200). Friend of the oppressed, especially lepers and Jews. He was born at Avalon in Burgundy. With his father, he entered a priory of Austin Canons at Villarbenoit, where he received his education. In 1160 he became a monk in the strict Carthusian Order at Grande Chartreuse. Hugh became the procurator of […]

Hugh’s

Hugh's. An independent Episcopal School for Children founded in 1950 in New York City by the Community of the Holy Spirit. It is named in honor of two educators. St. Hilda was a seventh-century saint and a member of the nobility. She founded the Abbey at Whitby in Yorkshire, England, where both men and women […]

Hughson, Shirley Carter

(Feb. 15, 1867-Nov. 16, 1949). Superior of the Order of the Holy Cross, educator, spiritual director, and Anglo-catholic theologian. He was born in Camden, South Carolina. Hughson was educated at the University of South Carolina, Johns Hopkins University, and received his B.D. from the General Theological Seminary in 1896. He was ordained deacon on June […]

Human Quest, The

See Churchman, The.

Humble Access, Prayer of

A prayer for worthy reception of communion that begins with the statement, “We do not presume to come to this thy Table, O merciful Lord, trusting in our own righteousness” (BCP, p. 337). It is optional in Rite 1, and not used in Rite 2. It may be said by the celebrant and people after […]

Humeral Veil

This large scarf or shawl is worn over the shoulders and covers the hands. It may be used when carrying the vessels containing the consecrated elements of the eucharist, as in processions of the Blessed Sacrament and Benediction. See Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament.

Hunt, Robert

(c. 1568-1608). First chaplain to Jamestown, Virginia. He was appointed vicar of Reculver in Kent, England on Jan. 18, 1594. On Oct. 5, 1602, he became vicar of Heathfield in the Diocese of Chichester. From 1603 until 1606, Hunt was a student at Trinity Hall, Cambridge University. He was the chaplain for the colonists who […]

Huntington, Frederic Dan

(May 28, 1819-July 11, 1904). Bishop and editor. He was born in Hadley, Hampshire County, Massachusetts. Huntington graduated from Amherst College in 1839 and from the Divinity School of Harvard University in 1842. He was ordained minister of the South Congregational Church (Unitarian), Boston, on Oct. 19, 1842, and served as a Unitarian minister in […]

Huntington, James Otis Sargent

(July 23, 1854-June 29, 1935). One of the founders of the Order of the Holy Cross. He was the son of Frederic Dan Huntington, Bishop of Central New York. He was born in Boston, Massachusetts. Huntington received his B.A. from Harvard in 1875. He studied at St. Andrew's Divinity School, Syracuse, 1876-1879. He was ordained […]

Huntington, William Reed

(Sept. 20, 1838-July 26, 1909). Ecumenical leader and liturgical reformer. He was known as the "First Presbyter of the Church." Huntington was born in Lowell, Massachusetts. He received his A.B. from Harvard in 1859. He studied for the ordained ministry of the Episcopal Church under the direction of Frederic Dan Huntington, who was later Bishop […]

Hymn

A form of congregational song in praise of God, using metrical poetic texts set to tunes which are repeated for each stanza of the text. Hymns authorized for use in the Episcopal Church are collected in The Hymnal 1982. Other collections of hymns used in the Episcopal Church include Wonder, Love, and Praise, Lift Every […]

Hymnal Companion, The

Historical and background information on the words, music, and sources of the selections in the Hymnal, essays on church music, biographical information on authors and composers, and indexes for the collection have been published as Hymnal Companions for the 1940 and 1982 editions of the Hymnal. During the work of preparing The Hymnal (1940), the […]

Hymnal Studies

A series of studies published by the Church Hymnal Corporation (now Church Publishing Incorporated), to assist clergy and laity in using The Hymnal 1982. The volumes are: Hymnal Studies One: Perspectives on the New Edition (1981); Hymnal Studies Two: Introducing The Hymnal 1982 (1982); Marilyn J. Keiser, Hymnal Studies Three: Teaching Music in the Small […]

Hymnal, The

The collection of hymns, tunes, and service music authorized for use in the Episcopal Church by General Convention. It is published by Church Publishing Incorporated, formerly Church Hymnal Corporation, a subsidiary of the Church Pension Fund. Hymnals have been authorized for the Episcopal Church by General Convention in 1789, 1826, 1871, 1892, 1916, 1940, and […]

Hymnody

A term used to refer to bodies or collections of hymns. For example, the hymnody of the Episcopal Church is collected in The Hymnal 1982.

An Episcopal Dictionary of the Church

Glossary of Terms