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Pange Lingua Gloriosi Hymn

Pange Lingua St-Thomas Aquinas
St Thomas Aquinas Pange Lingua Gloriosi Hymn
St Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274)

At the request of Pope Urban IV St. Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274) composed the office (the official prayers of the Church) for the feast. This office is the source of the famous Eucharistic hymns Pange Lingua Gloriosi and Tantum Ergo Sacramentum (the final two verses of the Pange Lingua).

The hymn expresses the doctrine of transubstantiation, in which, according to the Roman Catholic faith, the bread and wine are changed into the Body and Blood of Christ.

Liturgical Use: Vespers hymn on the Feast of Corpus Christi: the Tangtum Ergo and doxology are sung during Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. It is used also as a processional hymn on Holy Thursday, Corpus Christi, and during the Forty Hours’ Adoration.The Pange Lingua is pre-eminently the hymn of the Most Blessed Sacrament. It is the most beautiful of the great Eucharistic hymns of St. Thomas Aquinas.

Pange Lingua Gloriosi Hymn:

  1. Pange lingua gloriosi
    Corporis mysterium,
    Sanguinisque pretiosi,
    Quem in mundi pretium.
    Fructus ventris generosi
    Rex effudit gentium.
  2. Nobis datus, nobis natus
    Ex intacta Virgine,
    Et in mundo conversatus,
    Sparso verbi semine,
    Sui moras incolatus
    Miro clausit ordine.
  3. In supremæ nocte cœnæ,
    Recumbens cum fratribus
    Observata lege plene
    Cibis in legalibus,
    Cibum turbæ duodenæ
    Se dat suis manibus.
  4. Verbum caro, panem verum
    Verbo carnem efficit:
    Fitque sanguis Christi merum
    Et si sensus deficit,
    Ad firmando cor sincerum
    Sola fides sufficit.
  5. Tantum ergo Sacaramentum
    Veneremur cernui:
    Et antiquum documentum
    Novo cedat ritui:
    Præstet fides supplementum
    Sensuum defectui.
  6. Genitori, Genitoque
    Laus et jubilatio,
    Salus, honor, virtus quoque
    Sit et benedictio;
    Procedenti ab utroque
    Compar sit lauditio.
  1. Sing, my tongue, the Saviour’s glory,
    Of His Flesh the mystery sing;
    Of the Blood, all price exceeding,
    Shed by our immortal King,
    Destined, for the world’s redemption,
    From a noble womb to spring.
  2. Of a pure and spotless Virgin
    Born for us on earth below,
    He, as Man, with man conversing,
    Stayed, the seeds of truth to sow;
    Then He closed in solemn order
    Wondrously His life of woe.
  3. On the night of that Last Supper
    Seated with His chosen band,
    He, the Paschal victim eating,
    First fulfills the Law’s command;
    Then as Food to all His brethren
    Gives Himself with His own hand.
  4. Word made Flesh, the bread of nature
    By His word to Flesh He turns;
    Wine into His Blood He changes;
    What though sense no change discerns?
    Only be the heart in earnest,
    Faith her lesson quickly learns.
  5. Down in adoration falling,
    Lo! the sacred Host we hail;
    Lo! o’er ancient form departing,
    Newer rites of grace prevail;
    Faith for all defects supplying,
    Where the feeble senses fail.
  6. 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.

Translation by Father Caswall.

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