First Hymn

A Christian hymn was recently found in Oxyrhynchus, Egypt, preserved on a Greek papyrus dated to around 250 A.D. -- decades before the Council of Nicaea (325 A.D.).

It’s one of the earliest pieces of Christian music ever discovered. The words on the fragment read like this when translated to English.

"Let all be silent, the shining stars not sound forth, all rushing rivers be stilled as we sing our hymn to the Father, Son, the Holy Spirit, as all powers cry out in answer, Amen, Amen, might, praise and glory forever to our God, the only giver of all good gifts.”

Chris Tomlin and a team of musicians and historians have put it to music. You can listen here: