Posted on 05/22/2015 9:25:30 AM PDT by Salvation
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TANTUM ERGO
The last two verses of the hymn Pange Lingua, composed by St. Thomas Aquinas and long prescribed for singing at Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. A modern English version reads:
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 Spirit proceeding
Forth from each eternally,
Be salvation, honor, blessing,
Might and endless majesty. Amen.
All items in this dictionary are from Fr. John Hardon's Modern Catholic Dictionary, © Eternal Life. Used with permission.
Tantum ergo Sacramentum
Veneremur cernui:
Et antiquum documentum
Novo cedat ritui:
Praestet fides supplementum
Sensuum defectui.
Genitori, Genitoque
Laus et iubilatio,
Salus, honor, virtus quoque
Sit et benedictio:
Procedenti ab utroque
Compar sit laudatio.
Amen.
V. Panem de caelo praestitisti eis.
R. Omne delectamentum in se habentem.
Oremus: Deus, qui nobis sub sacramento mirabili, passionis tuae memoriam reliquisti: tribue, quaesumus, ita nos corporis et sanguinis tui sacra mysteria venerari, ut redemptionis tuae fructum in nobis iugiter sentiamus. Qui vivis et regnas in saecula saeculorum.
R. Amen.
This hymn is short but sincere in expressing adoration of Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament. It is the only hymn that the Church mandates for use at Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. It is usually sung at the beginning of the last part of Benediction; after any period of silence and before the priest blesses the congregation with Our Lord Himself. Even today this hymn is widely known and used frequently. It is one of the most famous chants in existence.
It was written by St. Thomas Aquinas, the Angelic Doctor. He is known as the Common Doctor of the Church. His angelic purity and holiness brought him very close to God. He wrote the hymn Pange Lingua (of which the Tantum Ergo is the last two stanzas) for the feast of Corpus Christi. A fellow priest and close friend attempted this task at the same time. When St. Thomas finished, he shared it with the priest, who was awe-struck at its sublimity and expression. He was so moved by its beauty that he immediately tore up his own work, which he professed was like so much garbage compared to this heavenly-inspired text.
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Ithanks sang this Hymn at Benediction for all my grade school Years.
It’s nice to see it in English.
I always sing this in Latin. It is so beautiful.
Why people even sing it in English is beyond me.
Just speak English already. Latin was, and has never been, the language of Jesus Christ or his apostles.
I know what you mean about the Latin. Where I go, we also sing, “O Salutaris Hostia” as the Blessed Sacrament is removed from the Tabernacle. That also sounds much better in Latin.
I learned it first in English, too, when we had the Perpetual Novena to Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal. We used to call the Holy Spirit the Holy Ghost back then...
I've heard Mass celebrated in several languages, but there is a beauty and solemnity in the Latin Tridentine Mass that gives great glory to God-even in the way the congregation responds, with an extraordinary reverence.
Thank you for sharing that video! I never heard that version before, it’s lovely!
Thank you for posting!
It was written in the last days of his short 31 year life as an afterthought to the Mass in E-flat.
I didn’t realize he was so young. How sad...
Drop in at the FReeper Canteen tonight. I’ll be posting some late Schubert piano pieces.
I believe the Maronite Church (Catholic BTW) has some of their prayers in Aramaic. I’m not sure about the Melkite Catholic Church.
Thank you! One of the things I enjoy the most is being able to learn on FR about our Eastern Rites, or Churches, whichever would be the correct term, I’m still so new to therm. I still get confused, although I have the chart that was posted. The prayers I’ve read here and on other sites are so beautiful! Thanks for introducing me!
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