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| Christ the Victim, Christ the Priest |
At the Lamb's High Feast is a Geoffrey Laycock adaptation of the 1849 translation by Robert Campbell (1814-1868) of the 6th century Latin hymn, Ad Coenam Agni Providi. Among the oldest of the Ambrosian chants, in 1623 it was revised by Pope Urban VII (1568-1644) and has henceforth been known as Ad Regias Agni Dapes (see below) in the Roman Breviary where it is sung at Vespers from Easter Sunday until Ascension. Raised a Presbyterian, Campbell would after a period in the Episcopal Church of Scotland join the Roman Catholic Church. Much of his life, both as a Protestant and a Catholic was dedicated to the education of Edinburgh's poorest children. At the Lamb's High Feast is set to the 1678 tune, Salzburg by Jakob Hintze (1622-1702). In the Liturgy of the Hours it is used at Easter.
Tune: Salzburg
AT THE LAMB’S HIGH FEAST WE SING by Robert Campbell, 1849 (Public Domain)
1. At the Lamb’s high feast we sing,
Praise to our victorious King,
Who hath washed us in the tide
Flowing from his piercèd side;
Praise we Him, whose love divine
Gives His sacred blood for wine,
Gives His body for the feast,
Christ the Victim, Christ the Priest.
2. Where the Paschal blood is poured,
Death’s dark angel sheathes his sword;
Israel’s hosts triumphant go
Through the wave that drowns the foe.
Praise we Christ, whose blood was shed,
Paschal Victim, paschal Bread;
With sincerity and love
Eat we Manna from above.
3. Mighty Victim from the sky,
Hell’s fierce powers beneath Thee lie;
Thou hast conquered in the fight,
Thou hast brought us life and light;
Now no more can death appall,
Now no more the grave enthral;
Thou hast opened Paradise,
And in Thee Thy saints shall rise.
4. Paschal triumph, Easter joy,
Only sin can this destroy;
From sin’s death do Thou set free
Souls reborn, O Lord, in Thee.
Hymns of glory and of praise,
Father, to Thee we raise;
Risen Lord, all praise to Thee,
Ever with the Spirit be.
Ad Coenam Agni Providi
AD COENAM AGNI PROVIDI (6th Century)
1. Ad coenam Agni providi,
stolis salutis candidi,
post transitum maris Rubri
Christo canamus principi.
2. Cuius corpus sanctissimum
in ara crucis torridum,
sed et cruorem roseum
gustando, Dei vivimus.
3. Protecti paschae vespero
a devastante angelo,
de Pharaonis aspero
sumus erepti imperio.
4. Iam pascha nostrum Christus est,
agnus occisus innocens;
sinceritatis azyma
qui carnem suam obtulit.
5. O vera, digna hostia,
per quam franguntur tartara,
captiva plebs redimitur,
redduntur vitae praemia!
6. Consurgit Christus tumulo,
victor redit de barathro,
tyrannum trudens vinculo
et paradisum reserans.
7. Esto perenne mentibus
paschale, Iesu, gaudium
et nos renatos gratine
tuis triumphis aggrega.
8. Iesu, tibi sit gloria,
qui morte victa praenites,
cum Patre et almo Spiritu,
in sempiterna saecula. Amen.
Ad Regias Agni Dapes (Singing starts at 0:35)
AD REGIAS AGNI DAPES (1623)
1. Ad regias Agni dapes,
Stolis amicti candidis,
Post transitum maris Rubri,
Christo canamus Principi.
2. Divina cuius caritas
Sacrum propinat sanguinem,
Almique membra corporis
Amor sacerdos immolat.
3. Sparsum cruorem postibus
Vastator horret Angelus:
Fugitque divisum mare,
Merguntur hostes fluctibus.
4. Iam Pascha nostrum Christus est,
Paschalis idem victima:
Et pura puris mentibus
Sinceritatis azyma.
5. O vera caeli víctima,
Subiecta cui sunt tartara,
Soluta mortis vincula,
Recepta vitæ praemia.
6. Victor subactis inferis,
Trophaea Christus explicat,
Caeloque aperto, subditum
Regem tenebrarum trahit.
7. Ut sis perenne mentibus
Paschale Iesu gaudium,
A morte dira criminum
Vitæ renatos libera.
8. Deo Patri sit gloria,
Et Filio, qui a mortuis
Surrexit, ac Paraclito,
In sempiterna saecula. Amen.
