Come, Holy Ghost, Creator blest,
and in our hearts take up thy rest;
come with thy grace and heavenly aid
to fill the hearts which thou hast made.
O Comforter, to thee we cry,
thou heavenly gift of God most high;
thou Fount of life and Fire of love,
and sweet anointing from above.
O Holy Ghost, through thee alone
know we the Father and the Son;
be this our firm unchanging creed,
that thou dost from them both proceed.
Praise we the Father and the Son
and Holy Spirit with them one;
and may the Son on us bestow
the gifts that from the Spirit flow.
Amen.
CATHOLIC 9TH CENTURY AD
Veni Creator Spiritus
Also known as Come, Holy Ghost, Creator Blest ยท Come, Holy Ghost, Our Souls Inspire
Other forms
Latin (Veni Creator Spiritus)
Veni, Creator Spiritus,
mentes tuorum visita,
imple superna gratia,
quae tu creasti pectora.
Qui diceris Paraclitus,
altissimi donum Dei,
fons vivus, ignis, caritas,
et spiritalis unctio.
Per te sciamus da Patrem,
noscamus atque Filium,
teque utriusque Spiritum
credamus omni tempore.
Deo Patri sit gloria,
et Filio, qui a mortuis
surrexit, ac Paraclito,
in saeculorum saecula. Amen.
John Cosin translation (BCP)
Come, Holy Ghost, our souls inspire,
and lighten with celestial fire;
thou the anointing Spirit art,
who dost thy sevenfold gifts impart.
Thy blessed unction from above
is comfort, life, and fire of love;
enable with perpetual light
the dullness of our blinded sight.
Anoint and cheer our soiled face
with the abundance of thy grace;
keep far our foes, give peace at home;
where thou art guide no ill can come.
Teach us to know the Father, Son,
and thee, of both, to be but One;
that through the ages all along
this may be our endless song:
Praise to thy eternal merit,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.
About this prayer
The full text of Veni Creator Spiritus above is presented with its historical context, traditional meaning, and primary public-domain source.
The Veni Creator Spiritus is one of the most widely used hymns of the Christian Church, an invocation of the Holy Spirit traditionally attributed to Rabanus Maurus, the 9th-century Benedictine archbishop of Mainz. The Latin text first appears in 9th-century manuscripts and was incorporated into the Roman Breviary by the 10th century, becoming the foundational Christian prayer to the Holy Spirit for liturgical use across the Latin Church.
The hymn is sung at every major occasion when the Holy Spirit is invoked: the consecration of bishops, the ordination of priests, the coronation of kings, the opening of ecclesiastical councils, the start of the academic year at Catholic universities, the conferral of confirmation, the dedication of churches, and the opening of synods. Pope Pius XI declared it the official prayer of the conclave that elects a new pope, and it has been sung at every papal election since.
The English translations included here are the two most widely used. The first, by Edward Caswall (1849), is the form most commonly heard in Catholic churches in the English-speaking world. The second, by John Cosin (1627), is the version used at the rite of ordination in the Anglican Book of Common Prayer of 1662, where it begins 'Come, Holy Ghost, our souls inspire.' Both predate modern copyright and are in the public domain.
The Veni Creator Spiritus is distinct from the Veni Sancte Spiritus, the 13th-century Pentecost Sequence by Stephen Langton. Both are addressed to the Holy Spirit; both are widely used; they are different prayers with different authors, different liturgical placements, and different metrical structures.
When it's said
Sung at major liturgical events involving an invocation of the Holy Spirit: episcopal consecrations, priestly ordinations, the opening of ecumenical councils, papal conclaves, the conferral of Confirmation, and the dedication of churches. Also used as a private prayer at the start of any significant undertaking, particularly the beginning of theological study or any work requiring divine guidance. In the Anglican Book of Common Prayer, sung at the ordination of priests and the consecration of bishops. In Catholic religious orders, often said at the opening of community chapters and at the start of the liturgical day in some monastic offices.
Notes on the text
The traditional attribution to Rabanus Maurus (c. 780-856) is held by most scholars but not certain; the text first appears in manuscripts written shortly after his death, and the hymn's metrical sophistication is consistent with his other works. Earlier scholars proposed Charlemagne or Gregory the Great as authors; neither attribution is supported by current evidence. The phrase 'sevenfold gifts' in the Cosin translation refers to the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit from Isaiah 11:2-3 (wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, fear of the Lord), the same list invoked in the Veni Sancte Spiritus. The Caswall translation in stanza three of the Latin original references the Filioque, the Western Christian doctrine that the Spirit proceeds from both the Father and the Son. This distinguishes the Veni Creator from prayers of Eastern Orthodox provenance, which do not include the Filioque.
Common questions
Who wrote the Veni Creator Spiritus?
Tradition attributes the Veni Creator Spiritus to Rabanus Maurus (c. 780-856), the 9th-century Benedictine archbishop of Mainz. The text first appears in manuscripts shortly after his death and the attribution is held by most scholars, though earlier writers sometimes proposed Charlemagne or Gregory the Great. The current scholarly position favors Rabanus on stylistic and chronological grounds.
Is the Veni Creator Spiritus the same as the Veni Sancte Spiritus?
No. They are two different prayers, both addressed to the Holy Spirit. The Veni Creator Spiritus (9th century, attributed to Rabanus Maurus) is a hymn sung at major liturgical events involving the Holy Spirit's invocation. The Veni Sancte Spiritus (13th century, attributed to Stephen Langton) is the Pentecost Sequence sung at Mass on Pentecost Sunday. They differ in author, date, length, metrical form, and liturgical placement.
When is the Veni Creator Spiritus sung in Catholic worship?
At the major liturgical occasions when the Holy Spirit is invoked: papal conclaves, episcopal consecrations, priestly ordinations, the opening of ecumenical councils, the conferral of Confirmation, and the dedication of churches. It is also sung on Pentecost in some traditions alongside the Veni Sancte Spiritus, at the start of the liturgical day in some monastic offices, and at the opening of theological studies in Catholic universities.
Source
Rabanus Maurus (c. 780-856), traditional attribution. Latin text in the Roman Breviary since the 10th century. Edward Caswall English translation in Lyra Catholica (London, 1849). John Cosin English translation in the Book of Common Prayer (1662 form). Public domain.
Last reviewed: June 2026 against primary source.