Liturgical Guide: Common of Holy Men

The hymns selected for use in the Common of Holy Men are sung on Feast Days that celebrate men of the Church whose lives were a fitting witness to the faith they professed.


Monsignor Eric Barr of the Diocese of Rockford, Illinois

LITURGY OF THE HOURS (1975)
31. Faith of Our Fathers
172. For All the Saints

176. Rise Up, O Men of God

177. This is the Feast Day of the Lord's True Witness

181. Blest Are the Pure in Heart
182. O God, Our Help in Ages Past
183. Who Would True Valor See

DIVINE OFFICE (1974)
For All the Saints
This is the Day Whereon the Lord's True Witness

Who Would True Valor See

To Be A Pilgrim

Who Would True Valor See was written by the English writer and lay preacher, John Bunyan (1628-1688). The text of the hymn is drawn from Part 2, 8th Stage of his famous work of Christian allegory, The Pilgrim's Progress (1678). It is set to the tune Monk's Gate, a traditional Sussex melody adapted for Bunyan's text by the English composer, Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958). Vaughan Williams returned to this hymn throughout his career, culminating in one of his last major works: the opera, The Pilgrim's Progress (1951). The first video below features Vaughan William's 1906 adaption, while the second is by Maddy Prior with The Carnival Band from the album, Sing Lustily and with Good Courage (1990). Both of these versions feature one of the true (and arguably endearing) curiosities of Christian hymnody: the appearance of a 'hobgoblin', a friendly but troublesome creature found in English folklore. Bunyan's opening line of the 3rd stanza: "Hobgoblin nor foul fiend" is sometimes altered to something less mythical, such as "No power of evil fiend", as it is in the Office. In the Liturgy of the Hours, Who Would True Valor See is used in the Common of Holy Men.



WHO WOULD TRUE VALOUR SEE by John Bunyan, 1678 (Public Domain)

Who would true valour see,let him come hither;
One here will constant be, come wind, come weather
There’s no discouragement shall make him once relent
His first avowed intent to be a pilgrim.

Whoso beset him round With dismal stories
Do but themselves confound; his strength the more is.
No lion can him fright, he’ll with a giant fight,
He will have a right to be a pilgrim.

Hobgoblin nor foul fiend can daunt his spirit,
He knows he at the end shall life inherit.
Then fancies fly away, he’ll fear not what men say,
He’ll labor night and day to be a pilgrim.

Performed by Maddy Prior and the Carnival Band

O God, Our Help in Ages Past

Our Hope for Years to Come

O God, Our Help in Ages Past is one of the most well known of the 600 hymns written by Isaac Watts (1674-1748). Written in 1714 as a paraphrase of Psalm 90, it was first published in 1719 as part of his collection: The Psalms of David Imitated in the Language of the New Testament. It is sung to the tune, Saint Anne by William Croft (1678-1727). It was composed in 1708 while he was organist at St. Anne's Church in Soho, London. He eventually became organist at Westminster Abbey. In the Liturgy of the Hours, O God, Our Help in Ages Past is used in the Common of Holy Men and in the Common of Holy Women.

Tune: St. Anne

O GOD, OUR HELP IN AGES PAST by Isaac Watts, 1719 (Public Domain)

1. O God, our help in ages past,
our hope for years to come,
our shelter from the stormy blast,
and our eternal home.

2. Under the shadow of thy throne,
thy saints have dwelt secure;
sufficient is thine arm alone,
and our defense is sure.

3. Before the hills in order stood,
or earth received her frame,
rom everlasting thou art God,
to endless years the same.

4. A thousand ages in thy sight
are like an evening gone;
short as the watch that ends the night
before the rising sun.

5. Time, like an ever-rolling stream,
bears all its sons away;
they fly, forgotten, as a dream
dies at the opening day.

6. O God, our help in ages past,
our hope for years to come,
be thou our guide while troubles last,
and our eternal home!

Blest Are the Pure in Heart

Their Soul is Christ's Abode

Blest Are the Pure in Heart was written by the Rev. John Keble (1792-1866). It was initially published in 1819 as a poem (subtitled 'Purification'), with later revisions by various hymnal editors. Keble was an Ordained Priest in the Church of England. Though the parishes he served were humble in size and state, his many published poems on subjects of religious nature were well known. Blest Are the Pure in Heart is set to the tune Franconia, an adaption by the Anglican Minister, William Henry Havergal (1793-1870) of an earlier melody published by Johann Balthasar Konig (1691-1758) in the Harmonischer Lieder-Schatz of 1738. In the Liturgy of the Hours it is used in the Common of Holy Men.



BLEST ARE THE PURE IN HEART by John Keble, 1819 (Public Domain)

1. Blest are the pure in heart,
For they shall see our God;
The secret of the Lord is theirs,
Their soul is Christ's abode.

2. The Lord, who left the heavens
Our life and peace to bring,
To dwell in lowliness with men,
Their Pattern and their King;

3. Still to the lowly soul
He doth himself impart
And for his dwelling and his throne
Chooseth the pure in heart.

4. Lord, we thy presence seek;
May ours this blessing be;
Give us a pure and lowly heart,
A temple meet for thee.

This is the Feast Day of the Lord's True Witness / Iste Confessor Domini Colentes

Let All Creation Celebrate His Goodness

This is the Feast Day of the Lord's True Witness is a 1972 Peter J. Scagnelli translation of the 8th century Latin hymn Iste Confessor Domini Colentes (2 versions are shown below), traditionally sung at Vespers and Matins in the Common of Confessors and Bishops. The anonymous work may have been composed in honor of St. Martin of Tours. The translation is set to the tune, Iste Confessor (Angers).  It can also be sung to Iste Confessor (Rouen), as shown in the 1st video. In the Liturgy of the Hours, This is the Feast Day of the Lord's True Witness is used in the Common of Doctors of the Church. For an alternative translation see my post: This is the Day Whereon the Lord's True Witness / Iste Confessor.

Tune: Iste Confessor (Rouen)


ISTE CONFESSOR DOMINI COLENTES (from the Roman Breviary)

1. Iste Confessor Domini colentes
Quem pie laudant populi per orbem:
Hac die laetus meruit beatas
Laudis honores.

2. Qui pius, prudens, humilis, pudicus,
Sobriam duxit sine labe vitam.
Donec humanos animavit aurae
Spiritus artus.

3. Cujus ob praestans meritum frequenter,
Ægra quae passim jacuere membra,
Viribus morbi domitis, saluti
Restituuntur.

4. Noster hinc illi chorus obsequentem
Concinit laudem, celebresque palmas;
Ut piis ejus precibus juvemur
Omne per ævum.

5. Sit salus illi, decus, atque virtus,
Qui super cæli solio coruscans,
Totius mundi seriem gubernat,
Trinus et unus. Amen


Gregorian Chant

ISTE CONFESSOR DOMINI SACRATUS

1. Iste confessor Domini sacratus
Festa plebs cuius celebrat per orbem,
Hodie letus meruit secreta,
Scandere Cœli.

2. Qui pius, prudens, humilis, pudicus,
Sobrius, castus fuit et quietus
Vita, dum presens vegetavit ejus
Corporis artus.

3. Ad sacrum cuius tumulum frequenter,
Membra languentem modo sanitati,
Quo libet morbo fuerint gravata,
Restituuntur.

4. Unde nunc noster chorus in honorem
Ipsius hymnum canit nunc libenter,
Ut piis ejus meritis juvemur
Omne per aevum.

 5. Sit salus illi decus atque virtus,
Qui supra cœli residens cacumen,
Totius mundi machinam gubernat,
Trinus et unus.

Rise Up, O Men of God

Sent Forth to Serve the Needs of Men

Rise Up, O Men of God was written by American Presbyterian clergyman, William Pierson Merrill (1867-1954). It was first published in 1911 in the Pres­by­ter­i­an news­pa­per, The Con­ti­nent. The editor of the paper had expressed to Merrill the need for a hymn of brotherhood in the Church. He turned the idea over in his mind till one day, traveling onboard a streamer on Lake Michigan headed to Chicago the words suddenly came to mind. It is sung to the tune, Festal Song written in 1894 by American composer and organist, William Henry Walter (1825-1893). In the Liturgy of the Hours, Rise Up, O Men of God is used in the Common of Doctors of the Church.


Tune: Festal Song

RISE UP, O MEN OF GOD by William Merrill, 1911 (Public Domain)

1. Rise up, O men of God!
Have done with lesser things.
Give heart and mind and soul and strength
To serve the King of kings.

2. Rise up, O men of God!
The kingdom tarries long.
Bring in the day of brotherhood
And end the night of wrong.

3. Rise up, O men of God!
The church for you doth wait,
Her strength unequal to her task;
Rise up and make her great!

4. Lift high the cross of Christ!
Tread where His feet have trod.
As brothers of the Son of Man,
Rise up, O men of God!

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!

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.