Faith of Our Fathers (hymn)


"Faith of our Fathers" is a Catholic hymn, written in 1849 by Frederick William Faber in memory of the Catholic martyrs from the time of the establishment of the Church of England by Henry VIII and Elizabeth. Faber wrote two versions of the hymn: with seven stanzas for Ireland and with four for England. The Irish version was sung at hurling matches until the 1960s.
In England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland it is usually sung to the traditional tune Sawston; in the United States, the tune St Catherine by Henri Hemy is more commonly used.

Lyrics

In countries outside of England, the words "Our land" have been substituted for "England".

Protestant adaptations

Many Protestant churches and hymnals use an adapted version with a third verse altered to remove Marian references:
This song is among the most common songs in the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
Or they may use:
The final line of this verse has also been adapted as: "We all shall then be truly free."