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Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament, Hymns & Prayers

Monstrance

Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament

Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament

Benediction is a beautiful word. It means a blessing, a greeting, an expression of kindness and love. Benediction is also a beautiful church service in which the congregation is blessed with the Blessed Sacrament.

Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament is a liturgical rite that was once popular in the Latin Rite. Since the re-introduction of the Latin Rite Mass or the Roman Mass, popularly referred to as “The Traditional Latin Mass,”  Benediction has been making a comeback, which is a great blessing for souls and for the honour of Jesus Christ Who is Truly Present, Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity, in the Most Blessed Sacrament of the Altar.

The liturgy began in the 14th century with the custom of exposing the Blessed Sacrament for reverence and adoration. By the 16th century, blessing with the Sacred Host was added.

The rite usually consists of exposing the Blessed Sacrament for reverence in a monstrance, incensing, and singing the “O Salutaris Hostia”,  “Tantum Ergo”,  “Laudate Dominum” (Psalm 117), and “Ave verum corpus”, blessing with the Sacred Host, recitation of the Divine Praises and the replacement of the Blessed Sacrament in the Tabernacle during the recessional.

 O Salutaris Hostia

O Salutaris Hostia
Quae caeli pandis ostium.
Bella premunt hostilia;
Da robur, fer auxilium.		O Saving Victim opening wide
The gate of heaven to all below.
Our foes press on from every side;
Thine aid supply, Thy strength bestow.
Uni trinoque Domino
Sit sempiterna gloria:
Qui vitam sine termino,
Nobis donet in patria.
Amen.		To Thy great name be endless praise
Immortal Godhead, One in Three;
Oh, grant us endless length of days,
In our true native land with Thee.
Amen.

Tantum ergo (By Duo Mignarda)

Tantum ergo Sacramentum
Veneremur cernui:
Et antiquum documentum
Novo cedat ritui:
Praestet fides supplementum
Sensuum defectui.		Down in adoration falling,
Lo! the sacred Host we hail,
Lo! oe’r ancient forms departing
Newer rites of grace prevail;
Faith for all defects supplying,
Where the feeble senses fail.
Genitori, Genitoque
Laus et iubilatio,
Salus, honor, virtus quoque
Sit et benedictio:
Procedenti ab utroque
Compar sit laudatio.Amen.		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.
V. Panem de caelo praestitisti eis. (T.P. Alleluia)
R. Omne delectamentum in se habentem. (T.P. Alleluia)		V. Thou hast given them bread from heaven (P.T. Alleluia).
R. Having within it all sweetness (P.T. Alleluia).
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.Let us pray: O God, who in this wonderful Sacrament left us a memorial of Thy Passion: grant, we implore Thee, that we may so venerate the sacred mysteries of Thy Body and Blood, as always to be conscious of the fruit of Thy Redemption. Thou who livest and reignest forever and ever.
R. Amen.R. Amen.

Ave Verum Corpus
by W. A. Mozart K618, Westminster Cathedral Choir

Ave verum Corpus natum
De Maria Virgine:
Vere passum, immolatum
In cruce pro homine:
Cuius latus perforatum
Fluxit aqua et sanguine:
Esto nobis praegustatum
Mortis in examine.		Hail, true Body, truly born
Of the Virgin Mary mild
Truly offered, wracked and torn,
On the Cross for all defiled,
From Whose love pierced, sacred side
Flowed Thy true Blood’s saving tide:
Be a foretaste sweet to me
In my death’s great agony.
O Iesu dulcis!
O Iesu pie!
O Iesu Fili Mariae. Amen.		O my loving, Gentle One,
Sweetest Jesus,
Mary’s Son. Amen.

Laudes Divinæ – Divine Praises

BENEDICTUS Deus.BLESSED be God.
Benedictum Nomen Sanctum eius.Blessed be His Holy Name.
Benedictus Iesus Christus, verus Deus et verus homo.Blessed be Jesus Christ, true God and true man.
Benedictum Nomen Iesu.Blessed be the name of Jesus.
Benedictum Cor eius sacratissimum.Blessed be His Most Sacred Heart.
Benedictus Sanguis eius pretiosissimus.Blessed be His Most Precious Blood.
Benedictus Iesus in sanctissimo altaris Sacramento.Blessed be Jesus in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar.
Benedictus Sanctus Spiritus, Paraclitus.Blessed be the Holy Spirit the Paraclete.
Benedicta excelsa Mater Dei, Maria sanctissima.Blessed be the great Mother of God, Mary Most Holy.
Benedicta sancta eius et immaculata Conceptio.Blessed be her holy and Immaculate Conception.
Benedicta eius gloriosa Assumptio.Blessed be her glorious Assumption.
Benedictum nomen Mariae, Virginis et Matris.Blessed be the name of Mary, Virgin and Mother.
Benedictus sanctus Ioseph, eius castissimus Sponsus.Blessed be St. Joseph, her most chaste spouse.
Benedictus Deus in Angelis suis, et in Sanctis suis.Blessed be God in His Angels and in His Saints.
Amen.Amen.

Antiphon:  Let us for ever adore: the most Holy Sacrament.  (Alleluia.)

A hymn may be sung as the Priest removes the Blessed Sacrament from the Monstrance and replaces it in the Tabernacle.  The service ends with Psalm 116 , the “Laudate Dominum“.

Antiphon:  Let us for ever adore: the most Holy Sacrament.  (Alleluia.)

Prayers Audio courtesy of The Boston Catholic Journal. All copyrights belong to their respective owners. No additions, deletions, or changes are to be made to the text or audio files in any way, and the copies may not be sold for a profit.
 
Sacramentals
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