Christian Gregor was a prolific eighteenth-century Moravian composer and hymnist. In addition to his musical contributions, he was an able liturgist and a revered pastor. He lived most of his adult life in and around Herrnhut, Saxony (now eastern Germany), the headquarters of the eighteenth-century Moravian Church. Gregor, as one of the first of his faith to compose music for the worship service, helped to establish the patterns and forms of ecclesiastical composition which were later developed and refined by other Moravian composers. So great was his influence on the Moravian church and its music that the Moravians claim him to be the "Father of Moravian Music."