His Cross Stands Empty

Painting by James Tissot - Courtesy of Wikipedia

His Cross Stands Empty is written by the Benedictine Nuns of Stanbrook Abbey. In the Divine Office (1974), it is used with the Office of Readings on Holy Saturday. The suggested musical setting in the Divine Office is the 1861 tune: Eventide by William Henry Monk (1823-1889), as featured in the following video. Curiously, Eventide's hymn meter (10.10.10.10) does not match the meter of His Cross Stands Empty (11.8.11.8). The Divine Office makes note of this and has likely recommended Eventide because the words can be adapted to fit this melody, and (because 11.8.11.8 is so rarely used) there are very few 11.8.11.8 meter tunes that could otherwise be used.

Tune: Eventide (Meter: 10.10.10.10)

God's Blessed Spirit Moved His Virgin Saint

She Bore the Holy Spirit's Timeless Fruits

God's Blessed Spirit Moved His Virgin Saint, first published in 1974, is just one of a number of hymns written by the Benedictine Nuns of Stanbrook Abbey that are included in both the Liturgy of the Hours (ICEL, 1975) and the Divine Office (non-ICEL, 1974). A comprehensive list of the various contributions that the Sisters have made to liturgical developments in the Church over the past century can be found here. Words to the God's Blessed Spirit Moved His Virgin Saint can be found on page 3 (Hymn for Office of Readings) of the following pdf document: Proper Offices for St. Mary Domenica. It is sung to the tune Eventide, composed in 1861 by William Henry Monk (1823-1889).

O Jesu Thou the Virgins' Crown / Je­su Co­ro­na Vir­gin­um / Ie­su Co­ro­na Vir­gin­um

Adoring All Thy Chosen Brides

O Jesu Thou the Virgins' Crown is a translation of the 4th century Latin hymn, Je­su Co­ro­na Vir­gin­um (see 2nd video) attributed to St. Ambrose of Milan (c.340-397). In the Roman Breviary it is traditionally sung at Vespers and Lauds in the Common of Virgins. In the 19th century a dozen or so English translations were written, among them: the 1854 work O Jesu Thou the Virgins' Crown by Anglican priest, scholar and prolific hymn-writer, John M. Neale (1818-1866). It is sung to the tune, St. Bernard by William Henry Monk (1823-1889). An alternative tune is Tallis' Canon, as featured in the 1st video.

Tune: Tallis' Canon

O JESU, THOU THE VIRGIN'S CROWN by John M. Neale

1. O Jesu, the virgins’ Crown, do Thou
Accept us as in prayer we bow,
Born of that virgin whom alone
The mother and the maid we own.

2. Amongst the lilies Thou dost feed,
And thither choirs of virgins lead,
Adorning all Thy chosen brides
With glorious gifts Thy love provides.

3. And whither, Lord, Thy footsteps wend,
The virgins still with praise attend;
For Thee they pour their sweetest song,
And after Thee rejoicing throng.

4. O gracious Lord, we Thee implore
Thy grace on every sense to pour;
From all pollution keep us free,
And make us pure in heart for Thee.

5. All praise to God the Father be,
All praise, Eternal Son, to Thee,
Whom with the Spirit we adore
For ever and for evermore.


Sung by the Benedictine Nuns at the Abbey of Regina Laudis from the album, Women in Chant.

JESU CORONA VIRGINUM / IESU CORONA VIRGINUM

1. J(I)esu corona Virginum,
quem Mater illa concipit
quae sola Virgo parturit,
haec vota clemens accipe.

2. Qui pascis inter lilia,
septus choreis Virginum
sponsas decorans gloria,
sponsisque reddens praemia.

3. Quocumque pergis, virgines
sequuntur, atque laudibus
post te canentes cursitant
hymnosque dulces personant.

4. Te deprecamur largius
nostris adauge sensibus
nescire prorsus omnia,
corruptionis vulnera.

5. Virtus, honor, laus, gloria,
Deo Patri cum Filio,
Sancto simul Paraclito
In saeculorum saecula.

Abide With Me

The Darkness Deepens, Lord With Me Abide

Abide With Me was written in 1847 by the Anglican Clergyman, Henry Francis Lyte (1793-1847). The hymn was composed just weeks before his death. Suffering from tu­ber­cu­lo­sis, he completed the text the same morning that he gave his farewell sermon at the parish where he served. After leaving for Italy in a bid to regain his health, he died three weeks later in Nice, France. In 1861, Lyte's words were set to music by William H. Monk (1823-1889). While attending a meeting as music editor for the collection, Hymns: Ancient and Modern, he realized Lyte's lyric was to be included, but had no music. Sitting down at the piano, Monk's thoughts turned to the recent death of his 3-year-old daughter as (within 10 minutes) he composed the tune, Eventide. Since then, Abide With Me has become one of the most widely known and beloved of Christian hymns. A favourite of Mahatma Gandhi, it has been sung at everything from Royal Weddings, to English football matches, to the funeral of Mother Teresa of Calcutta. In the Liturgy of the Hours it is sung or recited during Night Prayer.



ABIDE WITH ME by Henry Lyte, 1847 (Public Domain)

1. Abide with me; fast falls the eventide;
The darkness deepens; Lord with me abide.
When other helpers fail and comforts flee,
Help of the helpless, O abide with me.

2. Swift to its close ebbs out life's little day;
Earth's joys grow dim; its glories pass away;
Change and decay in all around I see;
O Thou who changest not, abide with me.

3. Not a brief glance I beg, a passing word,
But as Thou dwell'st with Thy disciples,
Lord, Familiar, condescending, patient, free.
Come not to sojourn, but abide with me.

4. Come not in terrors, as the King of kings,
But kind and good, with healing in Thy wings;
Tears for all woes, a heart for every plea.
Come, Friend of sinners, thus abide with me.

 5. Thou on my head in early youth didst smile,
And though rebellious and perverse meanwhile,
Thou hast not left me, oft as I left Thee.
On to the close, O Lord, abide with me.

6. I need Thy presence every passing hour.
What but Thy grace can foil the tempter's power?
Who, like Thyself, my guide and stay can be?
Through cloud and sunshine, Lord, abide with me.

7. I fear no foe, with Thee at hand to bless;
Ills have no weight, and tears no bitterness.
Where is death's sting? Where, grave, thy victory?
I triumph still, if Thou abide with me.

8. Hold Thou Thy cross before my closing eyes;
Shine through the gloom and point me to the skies.
Heaven's morning breaks, and earth's vain shadows flee;
In life, in death, O Lord, abide with me.

Lord, Your Word Abiding

Word of Consolation, Message of Salvation

Lord, Your Word Abiding is an Anthony G. Petti adaption of the 1861 hymn written by the Anglican Vicar, Henry W. Baker (1821-1877). As ed­it­or-in-chief from 1860 to 1877 of Hymns: An­cient and Mo­dern, Baker con­tri­but­ed a number of hymns, tunes, and trans­la­tions to this influential and still popular hymnal. Lord, Your Word Abiding is set to the 1861 tune, Ravenshaw by William H.Monk (1823-1889), which he adapted from the 1531 tune, Ave Hierarchia composed by the Lutheran Pastor and contemporary of Martin Luther, Michael Weisse (c1488-c.1534). In the Liturgy of the Hours it is used during the Office of Readings.


Tune: Ravenshaw

LORD, THY WORD ABIDETH by Henry W. Baker, 1861 (Public Domain)

1. Lord, Thy Word abideth,
And our footsteps guideth;
Who its truth believeth
Light and joy receiveth.

2. When our foes are near us,
Then Thy Word doth cheer us,
Word of consolation,
Message of salvation.

3. When the storms are o’er us,
And dark clouds before us,
Then its light directeth,
And our way protecteth.

4. Who can tell the pleasure,
Who recount the treasure,
By Thy Word imparted
To the simple hearted?

5. Word of mercy, giving
Succor to the living;
Word of life, supplying
Comfort to the dying!

6. O that we, discerning,
Its most holy learning,
Lord, may love and fear Thee,
Evermore be near Thee!


Performed by the Ely Cathedral Choir

May Flights of Angels Lead You On Your Way

To Paradise and Heavens Eternal Day

May Flights of Angels Lead You On Your Way is a 1969 paraphrase by the Scottish theologian and hymnwriter, Fr. James Quinn S.J. (1919-2010) of the ancient Latin hymn, In Paradisum (Into Paradise). In Paradisum was traditionally used as an antiphon sung by a choir as the body is taken out of the Church in a Requiem Mass or at the burial. The text has been used by many composers, most famously by Gabriel Fauré. May Flights of Angels Lead You On Your Way is set to a variation of the 1875 tune, Unde Et Memores by William Henry Monk (1823-1889). The following video is sung to an alternative tune which I have been unable to identify. In the Liturgy of the Hours it is used in the Office of the Dead.

Lord Who at Your First Eucharist Did Pray

Blest Sacrament of Unity

Lord Who at Your First Eucharist Did Pray was written in 1881 by author Will­iam H. Tur­ton (1856-1938) for an anniversary service held at London's St. Ma­ry Mag­da­lene’s Anglican Church in Mun­ster Square. It is set to the tune Unde Et Memores, written in 1875 by organist and composer William H. Monk (1823-1889). In the Liturgy of the Hours, Lord Who at Your First Eucharist Did Pray is used on Feast of Corpus Christi.

Tune: Unde et Memores

THOU, WHO AT THY FIRST EUCHARIST DIDST PRAY by Will­iam H. Tur­ton, 1881 (Public Domain)

Thou, who at Thy first Eucharist didst pray
That all Thy Church might be forever one,
Grant us that ev’ry Eucharist to say
With longing heart and soul, Thy will be done.
O may we all one bread, one body be,
Through this blest sacrament of unity.

For all Thy Church, O Lord, we intercede;
Make Thou our sad divisions soon to cease;
Draw us the nearer each to each, we plead,
By drawing all to Thee, O Prince of Peace;
Thus may we all one bread, one body be,
Through this blest sacrament of unity.

We pray Thee too for wand’rers from Thy fold;
O bring them back, good Shepherd of the sheep,
Back to the faith which saints believed of old,
Back to the Church which still that faith doth keep;
Soon may we all one bread, one body be,
Through this blest sacrament of unity.

So, Lord, at length when sacraments shall cease,
May we be one with all Thy Church above,
One with Thy saints in one unbroken peace,
One with Thy saints in one unbounded love;
More blessèd still, in peace and love to be
One with the Trinity in Unity.

Alleluia, The Strife is O'er / Finita Iam Sunt Proelia

O Let the Song of Praise be Sung

Alleluia, The Strife is O'er is a 1859 translation by Anglican Priest, Francis Pott (1832-1909) of Finita Jam Sunt Praelia, an anonymous Latin hymn first published in the 1695 Jesuit collection: Symphonia Sirenum Selectarum, Cologne. In 1861, William H. Monk (1823-1889) added "Alleluias" and set it to the tune Victory, which is an adaptation of the Gloria Patri from the 1591 Choral Mass, Magnificat Tertii Toni by Italian Renaissance composer Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (1525-1594). In the Liturgy of the Hours, The Strife is O'er, The Battle Done is sung at Easter.



THE STRIFE IS O’ER, THE BATTLE DONE by Francis Pott, 1861 (Public Domain)

1. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
The strife is o'er, the battle done,
the victory of life is won;
the song of triumph has begun. Alleluia!

2. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
The powers of death have done their worst,
but Christ their legions hath dispersed:
let shout of holy joy outburst. Alleluia!

3. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
The three sad days are quickly sped,
he rises glorious from the dead:
all glory to our risen Head! Alleluia!

4. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
He closed the yawning gates of hell,
the bars from heaven's high portals fell;
let hymns of praise his triumphs tell! Alleluia!

5. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
Lord! by the stripes which wounded thee,
from death's dread sting thy servants free,
that we may live and sing to thee. Alleluia!


FINITA IAM SUNT PROELIA - Anonymous, 1695 (Public Domain)

1. Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia.
Finita iam sunt proelia,
Est parta iam victoria:
Gaudeamus et canamus, Alleluia.

2. Post fata mortis barbara
Devicit Jesus tartara:
Applaudamus et psallamus, Alleluia.

3. Surrexit die tertia
Caelesti clarus gratia
nsonemus et cantemus, Alleluia.

4. Sunt clausa stygis ostia
Et caeli patent atria:
Gaudeamus et petamus, Alleluia.

5. Per tua, Jesu, vulnera
Nos mala morte libera,
Ut vivamus et canamus, Alleluia.
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

As with Gladness Men of Old

As with joyful steps they sped.

As with Gladness Men of Old was written by William Chatterton Dix (1837-1898). It was composed on the 6th of January 1859, while confined to bed, convalescing from a serious illness. It would be later included in his self-published collection: Hymns of Love and Joy (1867). It is sung to the tune: Dix, an adaption by William Henry Monk (1823-1889) of the chorale, Treuer Heiland, Wir Sind Heir (1838) by German composer Conrad Kocher (1786-1872). In the Liturgy of the Hours, As with Gladness Men of Old is used on the Solemnity of the Epiphany.



AS WITH GLADNESS, MEN OF OLD by W.C. Dix, 1859 (Public Domain)

 1. As with gladness men of old
did the guiding star behold;
as with joy they hailed its light,
leading onward, beaming bright;
so, most gracious Lord, may we
evermore be led to thee.

2. As with joyful steps they sped,
Savior, to thy lowly bed,
there to bend the knee before thee,
whom heaven and earth adore;
so may we with willing feet
ever seek thy mercy seat.

3. As they offered gifts most rare
at thy manger, rude and bare,
so may we with holy joy,
pure and free from sin’s alloy,
all our costliest treasures bring,
Christ, to thee, our heavenly king.

4. Holy Jesus, every day
keep us in the narrow way;
and when earthly things are past,
bring our ransomed souls at last
where they need no star to guide,
where no clouds thy glory hide.

Hear the Herald Voice Resounding / Vox Clara Ecce Intonat

Welcome Christ, the Light of Day!

Hear the Herald Voice Resounding is based upon the 6th century Latin hymn, Vox Clara Ecce Intonat (see 2nd video), sung in the Roman Breviary at the Hour of Lauds during Advent. This version was translated by Edward Caswall (1814-1878) and included in his 1849 collection, Lyra Catholica. Caswall was a friend Cardinal John Newman (1801-1890). He followed Blessed Newman into the Catholic Church in 1850. Newman himself wrote a poem based upon the original latin text, Hark, A Joyful Voice is Thrilling. Caswall's hymn is set to the 1850 tune, Merton by William Henry Monk (1823-1889). In the Liturgy of the Hours, Hear the Herald Voice Resounding is used during Advent.

Tune: Merton

HARK! A HERALD VOICE IS CALLING by Edward Caswall, 1849 (Public Domain)

1. Hark! a herald voice is calling:
'Christ is nigh,' it seems to say;
'Cast away the dreams of darkness,
O ye children of the day!'

 2. Startled at the solemn warning,
 Let the earth-bound soul arise;
Christ, her Sun, all sloth dispelling,
 Shines upon the morning skies.

 3. Lo! the Lamb, so long expected,
Comes with pardon down from heaven;
Let us haste, with tears of sorrow,
One and all to be forgiven;

 4. So when next he comes with glory,
Wrapping all the earth in fear,
May he then as our defender
Of the clouds of heaven appear.

 5. Honour, glory, virtue, merit,
To the Father and the Son,
With the co-eternal Spirit,
While unending ages run.

Gregorian Chant (Begins at 00:25)

VOX CLARA ECCE INTONAT (Public Domain)

1. Vox clara ecce intonat,
obscura quaeque increpat:
procul fugentur somnia;
ab aethere Christus promicat.

2. Mens iam resurgat torpida
quae sorde exstat saucia;
sidus refulget iam novum,
ut tollat omne noxium.

3. E sursum Agnus mittitur
laxare gratis debitum;
omnes pro indulgentia
vocem demus cum lacrimis.

4. Secundo ut cum fulserit
mundumque horror cinxerit,
non pro reatu puniat,
sed nos pius tunc protegat.

 5. Summo Parenti gloria
Natoque sit victoria,
et Flamini laus debita
per saeculorum saecula. Amen.

I Sing the Mighty Power of God

Lord, how your wonders are displayed

I Sing the Mighty Power of God was written by Isaac Watts. It was originally published in Divine and Moral Songs for Children, 1715. It was intended for use by children and meant to convey the simple awe, wonder, and goodness of creation. It is set to the tune Ellacombe by William Henry Monk (1823-1889),  first published in a chapel hymnal for the Duke of Würtemberg: the Gesangbuch der Herzogl of 1784. In the Liturgy of the Hours, I Sing the Mighty Power of God is used during Ordinary Time for Morning Prayer.

Tune: Ellacombe

I Sing the Mighty Power of God (Iassac Watts, 1715, Public Domain)

I sing the mighty power of God, that made the mountains rise,
That spread the flowing seas abroad, and built the lofty skies.
I sing the wisdom that ordained the sun to rule the day;
The moon shines full at God’s command, and all the stars obey.

I sing the goodness of the Lord, who filled the earth with food,
Who formed the creatures through the Word, & then pronounced them good.
Lord, how Thy wonders are displayed, where’er I turn my eye,
If I survey the ground I tread, or gaze upon the sky.

There’s not a plant or flower below, but makes Thy glories known,
And clouds arise, and tempests blow, by order from Thy throne;
While all that borrows life from Thee is ever in Thy care;
And everywhere that we can be, Thou, God art present there.