HOLY THURSDAY: Pange Lingua

Original Latin:

PANGE, lingua, gloriosi

Corporis mysterium,
Sanguinisque pretiosi,
quem in mundi pretium
fructus ventris generosi
Rex effudit Gentium.

Nobis datus, nobis natus

ex intacta Virgine,
et in mundo conversatus,
sparso verbi semine,
sui moras incolatus
miro clausit ordine.

In supremae nocte cenae

recumbens cum fratribus
observata lege plene
cibis in legalibus,
cibum turbae duodenae
se dat suis manibus.

Verbum caro, panem verum

verbo carnem efficit:
fitque sanguis Christi merum,
et si sensus deficit,
ad firmandum cor sincerum
sola fides sufficit.

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.
Traditional English Musical Translation (Not exact, but translated in order to fit the
rhythm of the original melody):

SING, my tongue, the Savior'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.

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.

On the night of that Last Supper,

seated with His chosen band,
He the Pascal victim eating,
first fulfills the Law's command;
then as Food to His Apostles
gives Himself with His own hand.

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.

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 sense fail.

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.
Amen.
GOOD FRIDAY: Vexilla Regis Prodeunt

Original Latin:
1. Vexilla Regis prodeunt: Fulget Crucis mysterium,
Qua vita mortem pertulit, Et morte vitam protulit.

2. Quae vulnerata lanceae Mucrone diro, criminum

Ut nos lavaret sordibus, Manavit und(a) et sanguine.

3. Impleta sunt quae concinit David fideli carmine,

Dicendo nationibus: Regnavit a ligno Deus.

4. Arbor decor(a) et fulgida, Ornata Regis purpura,

Electa digno stipite Tam sancta membra tangere.

5. Beata, cuius brachiis Pret(i)um pependit saeculi:

Statera facta corporis, Tulitque praedam tartari.

6. O CRUX AVE, SPES UNICA, Hoc Passionis tempore

Piis adauge gratiam, Reisque dele crimina.

7. Te, fons salutis Trinitas, Collaudet omnis spiritus:

Quibus Crucis victoriam Largiris, adde praemium. Amen.

English Translation:
1. The royal banners forward go: The Cross shines forth in mystic glow,
Where he in flesh, our flesh who made, Our sentence bore, our ransom paid.

2. Where deep for us the spear was dyed, Life’s torrent rushing from his side,
To wash us in that precious flood, Where mingled water flowed, and blood.

3. Fulfilled is all that David told, In true prophetic song of old:

Amidst the nations, God, said he, Hath reigned and triumphed from the tree.

4. O Tree of beauty! Tree of Light! O Tree with royal purple bright!

Elect on whose triumphal breast, Those holy Limbs should find their rest.

5. On whose dear arms, so widely flung, The weight of this world’s ransom hung;
The price of humankind to pay, and spoil the Spoiler of his prey.

6. O Cross, our one reliance, hail! This holy Passiontide avail,

To give fresh merit to the saint, And pardon to the penitent.

7. To thee, eternal Three in One, Let homage meet by all be done:

Whom by the Cross thou dost restore, Preserve and govern evermore. Amen.
HOLY SATURDAY: From an Ancient Homily on Holy Saturday:

Something strange is happening—there is a great silence on earth today, a great silence and
stillness. The whole earth keeps silence because the King is asleep. The earth trembled and is
still because God has fallen asleep in the flesh and he has raised up all who have slept ever since
the world began. God has died in the flesh and hell trembles with fear.

He has gone to search for our first parent, as for a lost sheep. Greatly desiring to visit those who
live in darkness and in the shadow of death, he has gone to free from sorrow the captives Adam
and Eve, he who is both God and the son of Eve. The Lord approached them bearing the cross,
the weapon that had won him the victory. At the sight of him Adam, the first man he had created,
struck his breast in terror and cried out to everyone: “My Lord be with you all.” Christ answered
him: “And with your spirit.” He took him by the hand and raised him up, saying: “Awake, O
sleeper, and rise from the dead, and Christ will give you light.”

I am your God, who for your sake have become your son. Out of love for you and for your
descendants I now by my own authority command all who are held in bondage to come forth, all
who are in darkness to be enlightened, all who are sleeping to arise. I order you, O sleeper, to
awake. I did not create you to be held a prisoner in hell. Rise from the dead, for I am the life of
the dead. Rise up, work of my hands, you who were created in my image. Rise, let us leave this
place, for you are in me and I am in you; together we form only one person and we cannot be
separated.

For your sake I, your God, became your son; I, the Lord, took the form of a slave; I, whose home
is above the heavens, descended to the earth and beneath the earth. For your sake, for the sake of
man, I became like a man without help, free among the dead. For the sake of you, who left a
garden, I was betrayed to the Jews in a garden, and I was crucified in a garden.

See on my face the spittle I received in order to restore to you the life I once breathed into you.
See there the marks of the blows I received in order to refashion your warped nature in my
image. On my back see the marks of the scourging I endured to remove the burden of sin that
weighs upon your back. See my hands, nailed firmly to a tree, for you who once wickedly
stretched out your hand to a tree.

I slept on the cross and a sword pierced my side for you who slept in paradise and brought forth
Eve from your side. My side has healed the pain in yours. My sleep will rouse you from your
sleep in hell. The sword that pierced me has sheathed the sword that was turned against you.

Rise, let us leave this place. The enemy led you out of the earthly paradise. I will not restore you
to that paradise, but I will enthrone you in heaven. I forbade you the tree that was only a symbol
of life, but see, I who am life itself am now one with you. I appointed cherubim to guard you as
slaves are guarded, but now I make them worship you as God. The throne formed by cherubim
awaits you, its bearers swift and eager. The bridal chamber is adorned, the banquet is ready, the
eternal dwelling places are prepared, the treasure houses of all good things lie open. The
kingdom of heaven has been prepared for you from all eternity.
EASTER SUNDAY: The Exsultet

Exult, let them exult, the hosts of heaven,

exult, let Angel ministers of God exult,
let the trumpet of salvation
sound aloud our mighty King's triumph!

Be glad, let earth be glad, as glory floods her,

ablaze with light from her eternal King,
let all corners of the earth be glad,
knowing an end to gloom and darkness.

Rejoice, let Mother Church also rejoice,

arrayed with the lightning of his glory,
let this holy building shake with joy,
filled with the mighty voices of the peoples.

Therefore, dearest friends,

standing in the awesome glory of this holy light,
invoke with me, I ask you,
the mercy of God almighty,
that he, who has been pleased to number me,
though unworthy, among the Levites,
may pour into me his light unshadowed,
that I may sing this candle's perfect praises.

V. The Lord be with you.

R. And with your spirit.
V. Lift up your hearts.
R. We lift them up to the Lord.
V. Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
R. It is right and just.

It is truly right and just, with ardent love of mind and heart
and with devoted service of our voice,
to acclaim our God invisible, the almighty Father,
and Jesus Christ, our Lord, his Son, his Only Begotten.
Who for our sake paid Adam's debt to the eternal Father,
and, pouring out his own dear Blood,
wiped clean the record of our ancient sinfulness.

These, then, are the feasts of Passover,

in which is slain the Lamb, the one true Lamb,
whose Blood anoints the doorposts of believers.

This is the night,

when once you led our forebears, Israel's children,
from slavery in Egypt
and made them pass dry-shod through the Red Sea.

This is the night

that with a pillar of fire
banished the darkness of sin.

This is the night

that even now, throughout the world,
sets Christian believers apart from worldly vices
and from the gloom of sin,
leading them to grace
and joining them to his holy ones.

This is the night,

when Christ broke the prison-bars of death
and rose victorious from the underworld.

Our birth would have been no gain,

had we not been redeemed.

O wonder of your humble care for us!

O love, O charity beyond all telling,
to ransom a slave you gave away your Son!
O truly necessary sin of Adam,
destroyed completely by the Death of Christ!
O happy fault
that earned so great, so glorious a Redeemer!

O truly blessed night,

worthy alone to know the time and hour
when Christ rose from the underworld!

This is the night

of which it is written:
The night shall be as bright as day,
dazzling is the night for me,
and full of gladness.

The sanctifying power of this night

dispels wickedness, washes faults away,
restores innocence to the fallen, and joy to mourners,
drives out hatred, fosters concord, and brings down the mighty.
On this, your night of grace, O holy Father,
accept this candle, a solemn offering,
the work of bees and of your servants’ hands,
an evening sacrifice of praise,
this gift from your most holy Church.
But now we know the praises of this pillar,
which glowing fire ignites for God's honor,
a fire into many flames divided,
yet never dimmed by sharing of its light,
for it is fed by melting wax,
drawn out by mother bees
to build a torch so precious.

O truly blessed night,

when things of heaven are wed to those of earth,
and divine to the human.

Therefore, O Lord,
we pray you that this candle,
hallowed to the honor of your name,
may persevere undimmed,
to overcome the darkness of this night.

Receive it as a pleasing fragrance,

and let it mingle with the lights of heaven.

May this flame be found still burning

by the Morning Star:
the one Morning Star who never sets,
Christ your Son,
who, coming back from death's domain,
has shed his peaceful light on humanity,
and lives and reigns for ever and ever.

R. Amen.

OCTAVE OF EASTER: The Easter Sequence: Victimae Paschali Laudes

Original Latin:

1. Victimae paschali laudes

immolent Christiani.

2. Agnus redemit oves:

Christus innocens Patri
reconciliavit peccatores.
3. Mors et vita duello
conflixere mirando:
dux vitae mortuus,
regnat vivus.

4. Dic nobis Maria,

quid vidisti in via?

5. Sepulcrum Christi viventis,

et gloriam vidi resurgentis

6. Angelicos testes,
sudarium, et vestes.

7. Surrexit Christus spes mea:

praecedet in Galilaeam.

8. Scimus Christum surrexisse

a mortuis vere:
tu nobis, victor Rex, miserere.
Amen. Alleluia.

English Translation:

1. To the Paschal Victim, Christians, offer a sacrifice of praise

2. The Lamb has ransomed his sheep; the innocent Christ

has reconciled sinners with the Father.

3. Death and life confronted each other in a prodigious

battle; the Prince of life who died, now reigns living.

4. Tell us, Mary, what did you see upon the way?

5. I saw the sepulcher of the living Christ; I saw the glory

of the Risen One.

6. I saw the angels, his witnesses, the shroud and the

garments.

7. Christ, my Hope, is risen; he will go before his own into

Galilee.

8. We know that Christ is truly risen from the dead;

9. O Victorious King, have mercy on us.