He who sings, prays twice

"He who sings, prays twice" is a Catholic expression derived from the Latin: Qui bene cantat bis orat, lit. 'He who sings well prays twice'. Despite unclear origins of the expression, it has become popular among Christians, and has been interpreted and commented on by a number of academic sources.

The expression is often ascribed to fourth-century theologian St. Augustine of Hippo, and until recently, was believed to be sourced from his commentary in volume 39 of the Corpus Christianorum Latinorum (CCL). When trying to find the expression's specific Latin phrasing, however, American traditionalist Catholic priest John Zuhlsdorf and others were only able to locate broad reflections relating to singing with praise, meaning the modern phrasing of the expression almost certainly did not come from him. As no known work of St. Augustine contains this exact phrasing, the earliest known use of the expression dates only to the 16th-century. Nonetheless, the expression has become widely known and used by Catholics modern day, being recited by major figures including Pope Francis and Andrea Bocelli. It has also become the motto or slogan for a number of organizations including St. Michael's Choir School.