Sanctorum Meritis Inclita Gaudia

Painting by Konstantin Flavitsky - Courtesy of Wikipedia

Sanctorum Meritis Inclita Gaudia is an anonymous hymn of unknown origin. The earliest manuscript copies date back as far as the 10th century. Some have suggested that the Benedictine monk and and Archbishop of Mainz: Rabanus Maurus (780-856) may be the author. Two versions are shown below. It is sung at 2nd Vespers in the Common of Several Martyrs in the Roman Breviary.
 

Sung by Giovanni Vianini

SANCTORUM MERITIS INCLITA GAUDIA

1. Sanctorum meritis inclita gaudia
Pangamus socii gestaque fortia
Nam gliscit animus promere cantibus
Victorum genus optimum.

2.  Hi sunt quo retines mundis inhorruit
Ipsum nam sterile flore per aridum
Sprevere penitus teque secuti sunt,
Rex, Christe, bone caelitum.

* 3. Hi pro te furias saevaque sustinent;
non murmur resonat, non querimonia,
sed corde tacito mens bene conscia
conservat patientiam.

4. Quae vox, quae poterit lingua retexere
Quae tu martyribus munera praeparas?
Rubri nam fluido sanguine laureis
Ditantur bene fulgidis.

5. Te, summa Deitas unaque, poscimus,
ut culpas abluas, noxia subtrahes,
Des pacem famulis nos quoque gloriam
per cuncta tibi sæcula. Amen

*Alternative Verse:
3. Hi pro te furias atque ferocia
calcarunt hominum saevaque verbera,
cessit his lacerans fortiter ungula
nec carpsit penetralia.



SANCTORUM MERITIS INCLITA GAUDIA (from the Roman Breviary)

1. Sanctorum meritis inclyta gaudia
Pangamus socii, gestaque fortia:
Gliscens fert animus promere cantibus
Victorum genus optimum.

2. Hi sunt, quos fatue mundus abhorruit;
Hunc fructu vacuum, floribus aridum
Contempsere tui nominis asseclae
Iesu Rex bone coelitum.

3. Hi pro te furias, atque minas truces
Calcarunt hominum, saevaque verbera:
His cessit lacerans fortiter ungula,
Nee carpsit penetralia.

4. Caeduntur gladiis more bidentium:
Non murmur resonat, non querimonia;
Sed corde impavido mens bene conscia
Conservat patientiam.

5. Quae vox, quae poterit lingua retexere,
Quae tu Martyribus munera praeparas?
Rubri nam fluido sanguine fulgidis
Cingunt tempora laureis.

6. Te summa o Deitas, unaque poscimus;
Ut culpas abigas, noxia subtrahas,
Des pacem famulis, ut tibi gloriam
Annorum in seriem canant. Amen

Rex Gloriose Martyrum

Painting by Bernardino Licinio - Courtesy of Wikipedia

Rex Gloriose Martyrum is an anonymous hymn which may date back as far as the 6th century. In 1632, in accordance with revisions made to the hymns of the Divine Office by Pope Urban VIII (1568-1644), it was altered and changed to Rex Gloriose Martyrum (1632). Both versions are shown below. It is sung at Lauds in the Common of Several Martyrs of the Roman Breviary.

REX GLORIOSE MARTYRUM

1. Rex gloriose Martyrum
corona confitentium,
qui respuentes terrea
perducis ad coelestia.

2. Tu vincis in martyribus
parcisque Confessoribus:
Tu vince nostra crimina,
largitor indulgentiae.

3. Aurem benignam protinus
appone nostris vocibus
trophea sacra pangimus
ignosce quod deliquimus.

4. Gloria tibi Domine
qui surrexisti a mortuis
cum Patre et Sancto Spiritu
in sempiterna saecula. Amen.


REX GLORIOSE MARTYRUM (1632 Revision)

1. Rex gloriose Martyrum
Corona confitentium,
Qui respuentes terrea
Perducis ad caelestia:

2. Aurem benignam protinus
Intende nostris vocibus:
Trophaea sacra pangimus:
Ignosce quod deliquimus.

3. Tu vincis in Martyres
Parcisque Confessoribus:
Tu vince nostra crimina,
Largitor indulgentiae.

4. Deo Patri sit gloria,
Eiusque soli Filio,
Cum  Spiritu Paraclito,
Nunc et per omne saeculum. Amen

Christo Profusum Sanguinem

Painting by Jean-Leon Gerome - Courtesy of Wikipedia

Christo Profusum Sanguinem is attributed the Bishop of Milan, St. Ambrose of Milan (340-397). It is sung at 1st Vespers in the Common of Several Martyrs of the Roman Breviary.

CHRISTO PROFUSUM SANGUINEM

1. Christo profusum sanguinem
Et Martyrum victorias,
Dignamque cælo lauream
Lætis sequamur vocibus.

2. Terrore victo sæculi
Pœnisque spretis corporis
Mortis sacræ compendio
Lucem beatam possident. 

3. Traduntur igni martyres
Et bestiarum dentibus,
Armata sævit ungulis
Tortoris insani manus.

4. Nudata pendent viscera,
Sanguis sacratus funditur,
Sed permanent immobiles.
Vitæ perennis gratia.

5. Te nunc, redemptor, quæsumus,
Ut martyrum consortio
Iungas precantes servulos
In sempiterna sæcula.

Liturgical Guide: Common of Several Martyrs

The hymns selected for use in the Common of Several Martyrs in the Liturgy of the Hours speak of the lives and sacrifice of holy men and women of the Church who have born witness to the truth of faith, even unto death. "The martyr bears witness to Christ who died and rose, to whom he is united by charity. He bears witness to the truth of the faith and of Christian doctrine. He endures death through an act of fortitude." - #2473, Catechism of the Catholic Church.

LITURGY OF THE HOURS (1975)

31. Faith of Our Fathers

44. Romans VIII (For Those Who Love God)

170. Christ, in Whose Passion Once Was Sown
171. A Mighty Fortress is Our God
172. For All the Saints

DIVINE OFFICE (1974)
Our Lord the Path of Suffering Trod
The Martyrs Living Now With Christ

ROMAN BREVIARY
Christo Profusum Sanguinem
Rex Gloriose Martyrum
Sanctorum Meritis Inclita Gaudia


Produced by Mysteries of the Church

For All the Saints

O Blest Communion, Fellowship Divine

For All the Saints was written by William W. How (1823-1897), the first Anglican Bishop of Wakefield, England. It was composed in 1864 as a processional hymn. It is sung to the tune, Sine Nomine (literally 'without name') by Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958). It was first published in 1906, and was composed specifically for Bishop How's text. In the Liturgy of the Hours, For All the Saints, Who From Their Labor Rest is used in the Common of One Martyr, the Office for the Dead, and the Common of  Several Martyrs.



FOR ALL THE SAINTS by William W. How, 1864 (Public Domain)

1. For all the saints, who from their labors rest,
Who Thee by faith before the world confessed,
Thy Name, O Jesus, be forever blessed.
Alleluia, Alleluia!

2. Thou wast their Rock, their Fortress and their Might;
Thou, Lord, their Captain in the well fought fight;
Thou, in the darkness drear, their one true Light.
Alleluia, Alleluia!

3. For the Apostles’ glorious company,
Who bearing forth the Cross o’er land and sea,
Shook all the mighty world, we sing to Thee:
Alleluia, Alleluia!

4. For the Evangelists, by whose blest word,
Like fourfold streams, the garden of the Lord,
Is fair and fruitful, be Thy Name adored.
Alleluia, Alleluia!

5. For Martyrs, who with rapture kindled eye,
Saw the bright crown descending from the sky,
And seeing, grasped it, Thee we glorify.
Alleluia, Alleluia!

6. O blest communion, fellowship divine!
We feebly struggle, they in glory shine;
All are one in Thee, for all are Thine.
Alleluia, Alleluia!

7. O may Thy soldiers, faithful, true and bold,
Fight as the saints who nobly fought of old,
And win with them the victor’s crown of gold.
Alleluia, Alleluia!

8. And when the strife is fierce, the warfare long,
Steals on the ear the distant triumph song,
And hearts are brave, again, and arms are strong.
Alleluia, Alleluia!

 9. The golden evening brightens in the west;
Soon, soon to faithful warriors comes their rest;
Sweet is the calm of paradise the blessed.
Alleluia, Alleluia!

 10. But lo! there breaks a yet more glorious day;
The saints triumphant rise in bright array;
The King of glory passes on His way.
Alleluia, Alleluia!

 11. From earth’s wide bounds, from ocean’s farthest coast,
Through gates of pearl streams in the countless host,
And singing to Father, Son and Holy Ghost:
Alleluia, Alleluia!

A Mighty Fortress is Our God

From Age to Age, the Same

A Mighty Fortress is Our God is a Fredrick H. Hedge (1805-1890) translation of the famous hymn by the Protestant Reformer, Martin Luther (1483-1546).  Luther wrote both the words and melody (Ein Feste Burg) to this paraphrase of Psalm 46 sometime between 1527 and 1529. It has been translated into almost every known language. Among the 70 or so English versions, Hedge's 1852 translation is the most widely know. In the Liturgy of the Hours, A Mighty Fortress is Our God is used in the Common of One Martyr, and the Common of Several Martyrs.

Tune: Ein Feste Burg

A MIGHTY FORTRESS IS OUR GOD translated by Fred­er­ic Hedge, 1853 (PUBLIC DOMAIN)

1. A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing;
Our helper He, amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing:
For still our ancient foe doth seek to work us woe;
His craft and power are great, and, armed with cruel hate,
On earth is not his equal.

2. Did we in our own strength confide, our striving would be losing;
Were not the right Man on our side, the Man of God’s own choosing:
Dost ask who that may be? Christ Jesus, it is He;
Lord Sabaoth, His Name, from age to age the same,
And He must win the battle.

 3. And though this world, with devils filled, should threaten to undo us,
We will not fear, for God hath willed His truth to triumph through us:
The Prince of Darkness grim, we tremble not for him;
His rage we can endure, for lo, his doom is sure,
One little word shall fell him.

 4. That word above all earthly powers, no thanks to them, abideth;
The Spirit and the gifts are ours through Him Who with us sideth:
Let goods and kindred go, this mortal life also;
The body they may kill: God’s truth abideth still,
His kingdom is forever.

Christ, in Whose Passion Once Was Sown

From Thee the Martyrs, We From Those

Christ, in Whose Passion Once Was Sown was written by Walter H. Shewring (1906–1990). A convert to the Catholic Faith, he was professor of classics at Ampleforth, a Benedictine College in the UK for nearly 60 years. He wrote or translated several hymns for the New Westminster Hymnal (1961), in which Christ, in Whose Passion Once was Sown was first published. It is sung to a setting of the Magnificat: Mein Seel, O Gott, Muss Loben Dich by the German Baroque composer and organist, Michael Praetorius (1571-1621) from his Lutheran choral work, Puericinium (1621). An alternative tune that can also be used is Winchester New, as featured in the following video. In the Liturgy of the Hours, Christ, in Whose Passion Once Was Sown is used in the Common of One Martyr, and the Common of Several Martyrs.


Alternative Tune: Winchester New

Romans VIII (For Those Who Love God)

The first of many brothers.

Romans VIII (For to Those Who Love God), first published in 1970 was written by Enrico Garzilli. Still active today as a composer, writer, and performer; Garzilli has composed a number of choral works for liturgy, as well as oratorios and instrumental pieces with religious themes. In the Liturgy of the Hours, For Those Who Love God (Romans 8) is used during Ordinary Time for Evening Prayer.

Faith of Our Fathers

By Kindly Words and Virtuous Life.

Faith of Our Fathers was written by Frederick W. Faber (1814-1863). Originally an Ordained Priest in the Church of England, in 1846, following the example of Cardinal John Henry Newman he left to join the Catholic Church. It is set to the tune, Saint Catherine written in 1864 by Henri F. Hemy (1818-1888), Fr. Faber wrote it to honor Catholic martyrs from the English Reformation during the time of Henry VIII. In the Liturgy of the Hours Faith of Our Fathers is used during Ordinary Time for Daytime Mid-Afternoon Prayer.

Tune: Saint Catherine

FAITH OF OUR FATHERS by Fredrick Faber, 1846 (Public Domain)

Faith of our fathers, living still,
In spite of dungeon, fire and sword;
O how our hearts beat high with joy
Whene'er we hear thy wondrous voice!

Refrain: Faith of our fathers, holy faith!
             We will be true to thee till death.

Faith of our fathers, we will strive
To win all nations unto Thee;
And through the truth that comes from God,
We all shall then be truly free.

Faith of our fathers, we will love
Both friend and foe in all our strife;
And preach Thee, too, as love knows how
By kindly words and virtuous life.