Christ, Victim for the Sins of Men / O Salutaris Hostia

Your Death Brings Hope to Our Despair

Christ, Victim for the Sins of Men was one of fourteen contributions by Fr. Brian Foley (1919-2000) to the New Catholic Hymnal (1971), a collection he helped compile. It is based upon the Latin hymn, O Salutaris Hostia (see 2nd video) written by St. Thomas Aquinas O.P. in 1264 for the Office of the Feast of Corpus Christi. Fr. Foley's paraphrase is set to the 1543 tune, Erhalt uns, Herr (Spires) by Joseph Klug (1523-1552). An alternative tune that can also be used is Duke Street, as featured in the 1st video. In the Liturgy of the Hours Christ, Victim for the Sins of Men is used during Holy Week.


Alternative Tune: Duke Street

O SALUTARIS HOSTIA by Thomas Aquinas

O salutaris hostia,
quae caeli pandis ostium,
bella premunt hostilia;
da robur, fer auxilium.

Uni trinoque Domino
sit sempiterna gloria:
qui vitam sine termino
nobis donet in patria. Amen.