O Trinity of Blessed Light / O Lux Beata Trinitas

As Now the Fiery Sun Departs, Shed Thou Thy Beams Within Our Hearts

O Trinity of Blessed Light is a translation of the 4th century Latin hymn: O Lux Be­a­ta Trin­i­tas, attributed to St. Ambrose of Milan (340-397). It was revised under Pope Urban VIII (1568-1644) as Iam Sol Recedit Igneous, which is used in the Roman Breviary for Saturday Vespers and on Trinity Sunday. In 1851 the original text by Ambrose was translated into English by John Mason Neale (1818-1866) as O Trinity of Blessed Light. It is set to Tallis' Canon by Thomas Tallis (1505-1585). In the Divine Office it is sung at Evening Prayer.


Tune: Tallis' Canon

O TRINITY OF BLESSÈD LIGHT by John Mason Neale, 1851 (Public Domain)

1. O Trinity of blessed light,
O Unity of princely might,
the fiery sun now goes his way;
shed thou within our hearts thy ray.

2. To thee our morning song of praise,
to thee our evening prayer we raise;
O grant us with thy saints on high
to praise thee through eternity.

3. All laud to God the Father be;
all praise, eternal Son, to thee;
all glory, as is ever meet,
to God the holy Paraclete.
 

O Lux Beata Trinitas (Chant) - Verses 1, 2, 1

O LUX BEATA TRINITAS by St. Ambrose

1. O lux beata Trinitas,
et principalis Unitas,
iam sol recedit igneus,
infunde lumen cordibus.

2. Te mane laudum carmine,
te deprecemur vespere:
te nostra supplex gloria
per cuncta laudet saecula.

3. Deo Patri sit gloria,
eiusque soli Filio,
cum Spiritu Paraclito,
et nunc, et in perpetuum.
             OR
Christum rogamus et Patrem
Christi Patrisque Spiritum
unum potens per omnia
fove precantes Trinitas.

O Lux Beata Trinitas (Hymn) - Verses 1, 2, 3