O Christ the Light of Heaven

You Come in All Your Radiance

O Christ the Light of Heaven is written by the Benedictine Nuns of Stanbrook Abbey. In the Divine Office (1974) it is sung at Tuesday (Week 1) Morning Prayer. The recommended musical setting in the Divine Office is the tune: Narenza, first published in the Hymnologium of 1584 . 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)

For All Thy Saints, O Lord

Who Followed Thee, Obeyed, Adored

For All Thy Saints, O Lord was written by the Anglican Bishop and author, Richard Mant (1776 – 1848). It was one of a small group of original hymns which he included in his Ancient Hymns from the Roman Breviary.  First Published in 1837,  it was one of the earliest collections of English hymns translated from the original Latin. For All Thy Saints, O Lord is set to the tune, Narenza which was composed by William Henry Havergal (1793-1870), and based on a melody from Catholicum Hymnologium Germanicum of 1584. A more commonly associated hymn tune with it is Festal Song, as featured in the 2nd video. In the Divine Office it is sung on Feasts and Memorials of Saints or Angels.


Tune: Narenza

FOR ALL THY SAINTS by Richard Mant, 1837 (Public Domain)

 1. For all thy saints, 0 Lord,
our grateful hymn receive,
who followed thee. obeyed, adored,
and strove in thee to live.

 2. For all thy saints, 0 Lord,
accept our thankful cry,
who counted thee their great reward,
who strove in thee to die.

 3. Thine earthly members fit
 to join thy saints above,
in one communion ever knit,
one fellowship of love.

 4. Jesus, thy name we bless,
 and humbly pray that we
may follow them in holiness
and live and die in thee.

 5. All might, all praise, be thine,
Father, co-equal Son,
and Spirit, bond of love divine,
while endless ages run.


Tune: Festal Song

'Tis Good, Lord, To Be Here

Thy Glory Fills the Night

'Tis Good, Lord, To Be Here was written by the Anglican Priest, J. Armitage Robinson (1858-1933). He was a renowned scholar in patristics (the study of the Early Church Fathers), and participated in the Malines Conversations which explored the possibilities of reunion between the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of England. 'Tis Good, Lord, To Be Here is set to the tune, Narenza adapted by Anglican Priest and hymn writer, William Henry Havergal (1793-1870) from a melody of the Catholicum Hymnologium Germanicum of 1584. In the Liturgy of the Hours it is used on August 6th, the Feast of the Transfiguration.

Tune: Narenza

'TIS GOOD, LORD, TO BE HERE by J. Armitage Robinson, 1888 (Public Domain)

1. 'Tis good, Lord, to be here,
thy glory fills the night;
thy face and garments, like the sun,
shine with unborrowed light.

2. 'Tis good, Lord, to be here,
thy beauty to behold
where Moses and Elijah stand,
thy messengers of old.

3. Fulfiller of the past!
Promise of things to be,
we hail thy body glorified
and our redemption see.

4. Before we taste of death,
we see thy kingdom come;
we fain would hold the vision bright
and make this hill our home.

5. 'Tis good, Lord, to be here.
yet we may not remain;
but since thou bidst us leave the mount,
come with us to the plain.