To Christ, the Prince of Peace / Summi Parentis Filio

The Wound of Love He Bore

To Christ, the Prince of Peace is an Anthony G. Petti adaption of the Edward Caswall (1814-1878) 1874 translation of the Latin hymn for Lauds in the Office of the Sacred Heart from the Roman Breviary, Summi Parentis Filio (see 2nd video). Although Caswall's original text is often sung to the tune, St. George; Petti's modern setting is to the William H. Havergal (1793-1870) adaption of Narenza, a melody first published in the Catholicum Hymnologium Germanicum of 1584. In the Liturgy of the Hours, To Christ, the Prince of Peace is used on the Feast of the Sacred Heart.


Tune: Narenza

TO CHRIST, THE PRINCE OF PEACE by Edward Caswall, 1874 (Public Domain)

1. To Christ, the Prince of peace,
And Son of God most high,
The Father of the world to come,
We lift our joyful cry.

2. Deep in His heart for us
The wound of love He bore,
That love which He enkindles still
In hearts that Him adore.

3. O Jesu, Victim blest,
What else but love divine
Could Thee constrain to open thus
That sacred heart of Thine?

4. O wondrous Fount of love,
O Well of waters free,
O heavenly Flame, refining Fire,
O burning Charity!

5. Hide us in Thy dear heart,
Jesu, our Savior blest,
So shall we find Thy plenteous grace
And Heav’n’s eternal rest.


Traditional Chant

SUMMI PARENTIS FILIO - Anonymous (Public Domain)

1. Summi Parentis Filio,
Patri futuri sæculi,
Pacis beatæ Principi,
Promamus ore canticum.

2. Qui vulneratus pectore
Amoris ictum pertulit,
Amoris urens ignibus
Ipsum qui amantem diligunt.

3. Jesu, doloris victima,
Quis te innocentem compulit,
Dura ut apertum lancea
Latus pateret vulneri?

4. O fons amoris inclyte!
O vena aquarum limpida,
O flamma adurens crimina!
O cordis ardens caritas!

5. In Corde, Jesu, jugiter
Reconde nos, ut uberi
Dono fruamur gratiæ,
Cœlique tandem præmiis.

6. Semper Parenti, et Filio,
Sit laus, honor, sit gloria,
Sancto simul Paraclito
In sæculorum sæcula. Amen