Tantum Ergo / Down in Adoration Falling

Lo! the Sacred Host We Hail

Tantum Ergo was written by St. Thomas Aquinas. The words are taken from the final verses of the Vesper Hymn, Pange Lingua of the Office for Feast of Corpus Christi that Aquinas wrote in 1264 at the request of Pope Urban IV. Despite it's origins as part of the Divine Office, Tantum Ergo is more closely associated with it's prescribed use in the Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. In the 19th century it was translated by Fr. Edward Caswall (1814-1878) as Down in Adoration Falling (2nd video) which is traditionally sung to a tune from Cantus Diversi by John Francis Wade (1711-1786). In recent years a longer version of this translation was given a contemporary arrangement by the popular Catholic recording artist: Matt Maher (see 3rd video).

Gregorian (Singing starts at 1:05)

TANTUM ERGO SACRAMENTUM by Thomas Aquinas, 1264 (Public Domain)

Tantum ergo Sacramentum
Veneremur cernui:
Et antiquum documentum
Novo cedat ritui:
Praestet fides supplementum
Sensuum defectui.

Genitori, Genitoque
Laus et jubilatio,
Salus, honor, virtus quoque
Sit et benedictio:
rocedenti ab utroque
Compar sit laudatio. Amen.


Tune by John Francis Wade

DOWN IN ADORATION FALLING - Translation by Edward Caswall (Public Domain)

Down in adoration falling,
Lo! the sacred Host we hail,
Lo! o'er ancient forms departing
Newer rites of grace prevail;
Faith for all defects supplying,
Where the feeble senses fail.

To the everlasting Father,
And the Son Who reigns on high
With the Holy Ghost proceeding
Forth from each eternally,
Be salvation, honor, blessing,
Might and endless majesty. Amen.

Additional words and music by Matt Maher

O Come, All Ye Faithful

O Come, Let Us Adore Him

O Come, All Ye Faithful is an adaptation of the original 18th century Latin carol: Adeste Fideles attributed to John Francis Wade (1711-1786). Wade had fled to France after the Jacobite Uprising of 1745 where he remained the rest of his life, living with other exiled English Catholics, continuing to write and teach music for the Church. In 1751 he published Adeste Fideles set to the same tune sung today, although the authorship of the music is not clear. The text was translated and expanded in 1841 by Fr. Frederick Oakeley (1802-1880), a convert to Catholicism from the Anglican Church who was a member of Cardinal Newman's community at Littlemore. In the Liturgy of the Hours, O Come, All Ye Faithful is used during Christmas.



O COME, ALL YE FAITHFUL by John F. Wade, 1743 (Public Domain)

1. O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant,
O come ye, O come ye, to Bethlehem.
Come and behold Him, born the King of angels;

Refrain:  O come, let us adore Him,
               O come, let us adore Him,
               O come, let us adore Him,
               Christ the Lord.

2. True God of true God, Light from Light Eternal,
Lo, He shuns not the Virgin’s womb;
Son of the Father, begotten, not created;

3. Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation;
O sing, all ye citizens of heaven above!
Glory to God, all glory in the highest;

4. See how the shepherds, summoned to His cradle,
Leaving their flocks, draw nigh to gaze;
We too will thither bend our joyful footsteps;

5. Lo! star led chieftains, Magi, Christ adoring,
Offer Him incense, gold, and myrrh;
We to the Christ Child bring our hearts’ oblations.

6. Child, for us sinners poor and in the manger,
We would embrace Thee, with love and awe;
Who would not love Thee, loving us so dearly?

7. Yea, Lord, we greet Thee, born this happy morning;
Jesus, to Thee be glory given;
Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing.