ALLELUIAH, or HALLELUJAH, a word signifying, praise the Lord, to be met with either at the beginning or end of some psalms: such is psalm exlv. and those that follow, to the end. Alleluiah was sung upon solemn days of rejoicings, Tobit xiii. 12. St John
in the Revelations (xix. 1, 3, 4, 6.) says, that he "heard a great voice of much people in heaven, who said, Alleluiah; and the four and twenty elders, and the four beasts, fell down and worshipped God that sat on the throne, saying Alleluiah." This hymn of joy and praise was transferred from the synagogue to the church. St Jerom tells us, that at the funeral of Fabiola several psalms were sung with loud alleluiahs; and that the monks of Palestine were awakened, at their midnight watchings, with the singing of alleluiahs. So much energy has been observed in this term, that the ancient church thought proper to preserve it, without translating it either into Greek or Latin, for fear of impairing the genius and softness of it. The fourth council of Toledo has prohibited the use of it in times of Lent, or other days of fasting, and in the ceremonies of mourning: and, according to the present practice of the Romish church, this word is never repeated in Lent, nor in the obsequies of the dead; notwithstanding which, it is used in the mass for the dead, according to the mosarabic ritual, at the introit, when they sing, Tu es portio mea, Domine, Alleluia, in terra viventium, Alleluia, Alleluia. The singing alleluiah was oftentimes an invitory or call to each other to praise the Lord.