Lux Ecce Surgit Aurea / Sol Ecce Surgit Igneus

Behold! The Fiery Sun Rises

Lux Ecce Surgit Aurea is by the Roman poet, Aurelius Prudentius (348-c.413). It is drawn from his work Liber Cathemerinon, comprised of 12 poems that contemplate the canonical hours, and liturgical feast days and seasons.  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 Sol Ecce Surgit Igneus. Both versions are shown below. It is sung at Thursday Lauds in the Roman Breviary.

LUX ECCE SURGIT AUREA by Aurelius Prudentius

1. Lux ecce surgit aurea,
pallens facessat caecitas,
quae nosmet in praeceps diu
errore traxit devio.

2. Haec lux serenum conferat,
purosque nos praestet sibi:
nihil loquamur subdolum:
Volvamus obscurum nihil.

3. Sic tota decurrat dies,
ne lingua mendax, ne manus
oculive peccent lubrici,
Ne noxa corpus inquinet.

4. Speculator astat desuper,
Qui nos diebus omnibus,
actusque nostros prospicit
a luce prima in vesperum.

5. Deo Patri sit gloria,
eiusque soli Filio,
cum Spiritu Paraclito,
nunc et per omne saeculum.


SOL ECCE SURGIT IGNEUS (1632 Revision)
Listen

1. Sol ecce surgit igneus,
piget, pudescit, paenitet,
nec teste quisquam lumine
peccare constanter potest.

2. Tandem facessat caecitas,
quae nosmet in praeceps diu
lapsos sinistris gressibus
errore traxit devio.

3. Haec lux serenum conferat
purosque nos praestet sibi;
nihil loquamur subdolum,
volvamus obscurum nihil.

4. Sic tota decurrat dies,
ne lingua mendax, ne manus
oculive peccent lubrici,
ne noxa corpus inquinet.

5. Speculator astat desuper,
qui nos diebus omnibus
actusque nostros prospicit
a luce prima in vesperum.

6. Deo Patri sit gloria
eiusque soli Filio
cum Spiritu Paraclito,
in sempiterna saecula. Amen.

Nox et Tenebrae et Nubila

Day is Breaking, Dawn is Bright

Nox et Tenebrae et Nubila is by the Roman poet, Aurelius Prudentius (348-c.413). It is drawn from his work Liber Cathemerinon, comprised of 12 poems that contemplate the canonical hours, and liturgical feast days and seasons.  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 Nox et tenebrae et nubile (1632). Both versions are shown below. It is sung at Wednesday Lauds in the Roman Breviary.

NOX ET TENEBRAE ET NUBILA by Aurelius Prudentius
Listen

1. Nox et tenebrae et nubila,
confusa mundi et turbida,
lux intrat, albescit plus:
Christus venit; discedite.

2. Caligo terrae scinditur
percussa solis spiculo,
rebusque iam color redit
vultu nitentis sideris.

3. Sic nostra mox obscuritas
fraudisque pectus conscium,
ruptis retectum nubibus,
regnante pallescet Deo.

4. Te, Christe, solum novimus,
te mente pura et simplici
rogare curvato genu
flendo et canendo discimus.

5. Intende nostris sensibus
vitamque totam dispice:
sunt multa fucis illita
quae luce purgentur tua.

6. Sit, Christe, rex piisime,
tibi Patrique gloria
cum Spiritu Paraclito,
in sempiterna saecula. Amen.


NOX ET TENEBRAE ET NUBILA (1632 Revision)

1. Nox et tenebrae et nubila,
confusa mundi et turbida,
lux intrat, albescit plus:
Christus venit; discedite.

2. Caligo terrae scinditur
percussa solis spiculo,
rebusque iam color redit
vultu nitentis sideris.

3. Sic nostra mox obscuritas
fraudisque pectus conscium,
ruptis retectum nubibus,
regnante pallescet Deo.

4. Te, Christe, solum novimus,
te mente pura et simplici
flendo et canendo quaesumus,
intende nostris sensibus.

5. Sunt multa fucis illita,
quae luce purgentur tua:
tu, vera lux caelestium,
vultu sereno illumina.

6. Sit, Christe, rex piisime,
tibi Patrique gloria
cum Spiritu Paraclito,
in sempiterna saecula. Amen.

Ales Diei Nuntius

The Winged Herald of the Day Proclaims the Morn's Approaching Ray

Ales Diei Nuntius is by the Roman poet Aurelius Prudentius (348-c.413). It is drawn from Poem #1 (Hymn at Cock Crow) of his work Liber Cathemerinon, comprised of 12 poems that contemplate the canonical hours, and liturgical feast days and seasons. In the Roman Breviary it is sung at Tuesday Lauds. There are two versions of this hymn. Both are shown below.

ALES DIEI NUNTIUS by Aurelius Prudentius
Listen

1. Ales diei nuntius
lucem propinquam praecinit;
nos excitator mentium
iam Christus ad vitam vocat.

2. "Auferte, clamat, lectulos
aegros, soporos, desides;
castique, recti ac sobrii
vigilate; iam sum proximus".

3. Ut, cum coruscis flatibus
aurora caelum sparserit,
omnes labore exercitos
confirmet ad spem luminis,

4. Iesum ciamus vocibus
flentes, precantes, sobrii;
intenta supplicatio
dormire cor mundum vetat.

5. Tu, Christe, somnum disice,
tu rumpe noctis vincula,
tu solve peccatum vetus
novumque lumen ingere.

6. Sit, Christe, rex piisime,
tibi Patrique gloria
cum Spiritu Paraclito,
in sempiterna saecula. Amen.


ALES DIEI NUNTIUS (from the Liturgia Horarum)

1. Ales diei nuntius,
Lucem propinquam præcinit:
Nos excitator mentium
Iam Christus ad vitam vocat.

2. Auferte, clamat, lectulos,
Ægro sopore desides:
Castique, recti ac sobrii,
Vigilate, iam sum proximus.

3. Iesum ciamus vocibus,
Flentes, precantes, sobrii:
Intenta supplicatio
Dormire cor mundum vetat. 

4. Tu, Christe, somnum discute:
Tu rumpe noctis vincula:
Tu solve peccatum vetus,
Novumque lumen ingere.

5. Deo Patri sit gloria,
Ejusque soli Filio,
Cum Spiritu Paraclito,
Nunc et per omne sæculum.

Bethlehem of Noblest Cities / O Sola Magnarum Urbium

Fairer Than the Sun at Morning

Bethlehem of Noblest Cities is a translation of the Latin poem, O Sola Magnarum Urbium by the Roman poet Aurelius Prudentius (348-c.413). He was a lawyer and Governor in Northern Spain. Although likely brought up a Christian (for he never writes of a conversion), later in life he experiences a profound sense of regret for his past zeal for career and worldly affairs. From then on he adopts an austere and penitential life and devotes his efforts to writing for the Glory of God. O Sola Magnarum Urbium was composed during this period. It is drawn from the lyrical poem Quicumque Christum Quærtis (Hymn for the Epiphany) from his collection, Liber Cathemerinon. In 1568, it was introduced into the revised Breviary by St. Pius V as the Lauds Hymn on Epiphany. In 1849 it was translated by Fr. Edward Caswall (1814-1878). It is set to the tune, Stuttgart attributed to Christian Friedrich Witt (1660-1716) and first published in the Psalmodia Sacra of 1715. In the Divine Office, Bethlehem of Noblest Cities is used during Christmas, at Epiphany, and other Feast Days of the Nativity.

Tune: Stuttgart

BETHLEHEM! OF NOBLEST CITIES by Edward Caswall, 1849 (Public Domain)

1. Bethlehem! of noblest cities
none can once with thee compare;
thou alone the Lord from heaven
didst for us Incarnate bear.

2. Fairer than the sun at morning
was the star that told His birth;
to the lands their God announcing,
hid beneath a form of earth.

3. By its lambent beauty guided,
see the eastern kings appear;
see them bend, their gifts to offer:
gifts of incense, gold, and myrrh.

4. Solem things of mystic meaning!
Incense doth the God disclose;
Gold a royal Child proclaimeth;
Myrrh a future tomb foreshows.

5. Holy Jesu, in Thy brightness
to the Gentile world displayed,
with the Father and the Spirit,
endless praise to Thee be paid.


O SOLA MAGNARUM URBIUM

1. O Sola magnarum urbium
maior Bethlehem, cui contigit
ducem salutis caelitus
incorporatum gignere.

2. Haec stella, quae solis rotam
vincit decore ac lumine,
venisse terris nuntiat
cum carne terrestri Deum.

3. Videre postquam illum Magi,
eoa promunt munera:
stratique votis offerunt
thus, myrrham, et aurum regium.

  4. Regem Deumque annuntiant
 thesaurus, et fragrans odor
 thuris Sabaei, ac myrrheus
 pulvis sepulchrum praedocet.

5. Iesu, tibi sit gloria,
qui apparuisti gentibus,
cum Patre, et almo Spiritu,
in sempiterna saecula.

Of the Father's Love Begotten / Corde Natus Ex Parentis

Evermore and Evermore

Of the Father's Love Begotten is a translation of the Latin poem, Corde Natus Ex Parentis by the Roman poet Aurelius Prudentius (348-c.413). It is drawn from his work Liber Cathemerinon, comprised of 12 poems that contemplate the canonical hours, and liturgical feast days and seasons. The original 1851 English translation by John Mason Neale (1818-1866) was later edited and re-edited by Henry W. Baker (1821-1877) and Roby Furley Davis (1866–1937) for various hymnals of the Church of England. It is set to the tune, Divinum Mysterium, first published in 1582 in the Piae Cantiones, and based upon an ancient plainchant melody (see 2nd video). In the Divine Office, Of the Father's Love Begotten is used during the Christmas Season and related Feast Days of the Nativity.





Corde natus ex parentis
Ante mundi exordium
A et O cognominatus,
ipse fons et clausula
Omnium quae sunt, fuerunt,
quaeque post futura sunt.
Saeculorum saeculis.