Salutis Aeternae Dator (Giver of Life, Eternal Lord)

Salutis Aeternae Dator is attributed to the Archbishop of Mainz, Rabanus Maurus (776-856). It is traditionally sung at Lauds on the Feast of All Saints (November 1) in the Roman Breviary. The English translation: Giver of Life, Eternal Lord is by Fr. Edward Caswall (1814-1878). It can be sung to any hymn tune with 86.86 metre such as: St Peter (Reinagle) by Alexander Robert Reinagle (1799-1877).


SALUTIS AETERNAE DATOR

1. Salutis aeternae dator,
Iesu, redemptis subveni;
Virgo, parens clementine,
dona salutem servulis.

2. Vos, Angelorum milita,
Patrumque coetus, agmina
canora Vatum; vos,
reis precamini indulgenti. 

3. Baptista Christi praevius,
Summique caeli Claviger
cum ceteris Apostolis
nexus resolvant criminal.

4. Cohors triumphans Martyrum,
almus Sacerdotum chorus,
et virginalis castitas
nostros reatus abluant.

5. Quicumque in alta siderum
regnatis aula principes,
favete votis supplicum,
qui dona caeli flagitant.

6. Virtus, honor, laus, gloria
Deo Patri cum Filio,
Sancto simul Paraclito
in saeculorum secular.




GIVER OF LIFE, ETERNAL LORD

1. Giver of life, eternal Lord,
Thy own redeemed defend;
Mother of grace, thy children save,
and help them to the end.

2. Ye thousand thousand Angel hosts,
assist us in our need;
Ye Patriarchs, with the Prophet choir,
for our forgiveness plead.

3. Forerunner blest, and Thou who still
dost heaven's dread keys retain;
Ye glorious Apostles all,
unloose our guilty chain.

4. Army of Martyrs, holy Priests,
in beautiful array;
Ye happy troops of Virgins chaste,
wash all our stains away.

5. All ye who high above the stars
in heavenly glory reign,
May we through your prevailing prayers
unto your joys attain.

6. Praise, honor, to the Father be,
praise to His only Son;
Praise, Holy Paraclete, to Thee,
while endless ages run.


Tune: St. Peter

Placare, Christe, Servulis (O Christ, Thy Guilty People Spare!)

Placare, Christe, Servulis is attributed to the Archbishop of Mainz, Rabanus Maurus (776-856). It is traditionally sung at Vespers on the Feast of All Saints (November 1) in the Roman Breviary. The english translation: O Christ, Thy Guilty People Spare! is by Edward Caswall (1814-1878). It can be sung to any hymn tune with 8.8.8.8 metre such as the 7th century Latin hymn: Creator Alme Siderum.



PLACARE CHRISTE SERVULIS

1. Placare, Christe, servulis,
Quibus Patris clementiam
Tuae ad tribunal gratiae
Patrona Virgo postulat.

2. Et vos beata, per novem
Distincta gyros agmina,
Antiqua cum praesentibus,
Futura damna pellite. 

3. Apostoli cum Vatibus,
Apud severum Judicem,
Veris reorum fletibus
Exposcite indulgentiam.

4. Vos purpurati Martyres,
Vos candidati praemio
Confessionis, exsules
Vocate nos in partriam. 

5. Chorea casta Virginum,
Et quos eremus incolas
Transmisit astris, coelitum
Locate nos in sedibus.

6. Auferte gentem perfidam
Credentium de finibus,
Ut unus omnes unicum
Ovile nos pastor regat.

7. Deo Patri sit gloria,
Natoque Patris unico,
Sancto simul Paraclito,
In sempiterna saecula.



O CHRIST, THY GUILTY PEOPLE SPARE! (translated by Fr. Edward Caswall)

1. O Christ, Thy guilty people spare!
Lo, kneeling at Thy gracious throne,
Thy Virgin-Mother pours her prayer,
Imploring pardon for her own.

2. Ye Angels, happy evermore!
Who in your circles nine ascend,
As ye have guarded us before,
So still from harm our steps defend.

3. Ye Prophets and Apostles high!
Behold our penitential tears;
And plead for us when death is nigh,
And our all-searching Judge appears.

4. Ye Martyrs all! a purple band
And Confessors, a white-robed train;
Oh, call us to our native land,
From this our exile, back again.

5. And ye, 0 choirs of Virgins chaste!
Receive us to your seats on high;
With Hermits whom the desert waste
Sent up of old into the sky.

6. Drive from the flock, 0 Spirit blest!
The false and faithless race away;
That all within one fold may rest,
Secure beneath one Shepherd's sway.

7.  To God the Father glory be,
And to His sole-begotten Son;
And glory, Holy Ghost, to Thee,
While everlasting ages run.

Liturgical Guide: Solemnity of All Saints

15th Century Altarpiece by Jan Van Eyck; Ghent, Belgium - Wikipedia

The hymns chosen for the Solemnity of All Saints emphasize our Communion with the Saints. Although, as Paragraph #960 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) points out: "The Church is a "communion of saints" (Acts 9:13; 1 Cor 6:1; 16:1), the term "communion of saints" also refers to the communion of "holy persons" in Christ who "died for all" (CCC #961). Therefore: "It is not merely by the title of example that we cherish the memory of those in heaven; we seek, rather, that by this devotion to the exercise of fraternal charity the union of the whole Church in the Spirit may be strengthened. Exactly as Christian communion among our fellow pilgrims brings us closer to Christ, so our communion with the saints joins us to Christ, from whom as from its fountain and head issues all grace, and the life of the People of God itself" (CCC #957).


Reflection by the Apostleship of Prayer

LITURGY OF THE HOURS (1975)
31. Faith of Our Fathers
44. Romans VIII (For Those Who Love God)
172. For All the Saints
180. The Beatitudes
181. Blest Are the Pure in Heart

DIVINE OFFICE (1974)
O Fair is Our Lord's Own City
The Father's Holy Ones

ROMAN BREVIARY
Salutis Aeternae Dator (Giver of Life, Eternal Lord)
Placare, Christe, Servulis (O Christ, Thy Guilty People Spare!)

The Father's Holy Ones, the Blest

Orthodox Icon - Courtesy of Wikipedia

The Father's Holy Ones, the Blest is written by the Benedictine Nuns of Stanbrook Abbey. In the Divine Office (1974) it is sung at Morning Prayer on November 1st, the Solemnity of All Saints. The Office recommends the hymn tune: Auctoritate Saeculi as it's musical setting. An alternative tune that can also be used is Duke Street, as featured in the following video.


Alternative Tune: Duke Street

O Fair is Our Lord's Own City

Sts. Patrick and Germanus - Courtesy of Wikipedia

O Fair is Our Lord's Own City is a translation of a poem by Donough O'Daly (d.1244). Also referred to as Donnchadh Mór Ó Dálaigh, he came from a family of celebrated Irish poets, and is thought by some historians to have been the Abbot of Boyle Abbey, where he is believed to be buried. He wrote as many as 30 lengthy poems, mostly of religious nature. O Fair is Our Lord's Own City was translated from the original Gaelic by the Rev. Canon Coslett Quin (1907-1995), a priest in the Church of Ireland. In the Divine Office (1974), it is sung at Evening Prayer I on the Solemnity of All Saints. The recommended tune in the Divine Office is Attracta. An alternative tune that can also be used is Christus Der Ist Mein Leben, as featured in the following video.


Alternative Tune: Christus Der Ist Mein Leben (with introduction)

Who Are These Like Stars Appearing?

Praising Loud Their Heavenly King

Who Are These Like Stars Appearing? is a translation of the 1719 German hymn, Wer sind die vor Gottes Throne by the Protestant pastor and theologian, Theobald Heinrich Schenck (1656-1727). In 1841 it was translated into English by Frances Elizabeth Cox (1812-1897) and published as part of her collection, Sacred Hymns from the German. It is sung to the tune All Saints (Darm­stadt) first published in 1698. It can also be sung to the tune: Unser Herrscher, as featured in the following video. In the Divine Office, Who Are These Like Stars Appearing? is sung on Feast Days of Saints and Angels.

Tune: Unser Herrscher


WHO ARE THESE LIKE STARS APPEARING? by Fran­ces E. Cox, 1841 (Public Domain)

1. Who are these like stars appearing,
These before God’s throne who stand?
Each a golden crown is wearing;
Who are all this glorious band?
Alleluia! Hark, they sing,
Praising loud their heav’nly King.

2. Who are these of dazzling brightness,
These in God’s own truth arrayed,
Clad in robes of purest whiteness,
Robes whose luster ne’er shall fade,
Ne’er be touched by time’s rude hand?
Whence come all this glorious band?

3. These are they who have contended
For their Savior’s honor long,
Wrestling on till life was ended,
Following not the sinful throng;
These who well the fight sustained,
Triumph through the Lamb have gained.

4. These are they whose hearts were riven,
Sore with woe and anguish tried,
Who in prayer full oft have striven
With the God they glorified;
Now, their painful conflict o’er,
God has bid them weep no more.

5. These, like priests, have watched and waited,
Offering up to Christ their will;
Soul and body consecrated,
Day and night to serve Him still:
Now in God’s most holy place
Blest they stand before His face.