ALLELUIA

or Hallelu-jah , הללו־יה , praise the Lord ; or, praise to the Lord : compounded of הללו , praise ye , and יה , the Lord . This word occurs at the beginning, or at the end, of many Psalms. Alleluia was sung on solemn days of rejoicing: “And all her streets shall sing Alleluia,” says Tobit, speaking of the rebuilding of Jerusalem, Tob. xiii, 18. St. John, in the Revelation, xix, 1, 3, 4, 6, says, “I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, who cried, Alleluia; and the four living creatures fell down, and worshipped God, saying, Alleluia.” This expre ion of joy and praise was transferred from the synagogue to the church. At the funeral of Fabiola, “several psalms were sung with loud alleluias,” says Jerom, in Epitaphio Paulæ , “The monks of Palestine were awaked at their midnight watch ings, with the singing of alleluias.” It is still occasionally used in devotional psalmody.