There are several Feasts of the Church wherein a “sequence” hymn may be sung. The sequence hymn is sung Just before the the Alleluia (Gospel acclamation). The feasts with sequence hymns are these:
- Easter – Victimae Paschali Laudes (To the Paschal Victim give praise)
- Pentecost – Veni Sancte Spiritus (Come Holy Spirit)
- Corpus Christi – Lauda Sion (Praise O Sion)
- Our Lady of Sorrows – Stabat Mater (Stood the Mother sad and weeping)
- All Souls – Dies Irae (Day of Wrath)
Since today is Pentecost we ought to sample the sequence hymn for today: Veni Sancte Spiritus. Here is the Latin text and a translation (fairly literal) of my own.
| VENI, Sancte Spiritus, et emitte caelitus lucis tuae radium. |
COME, Holy Spirit, send forth from heaven the rays of thy light |
| Veni, pater pauperum, veni, dator munerum veni, lumen cordium. |
Come, Father of the poor; Come, giver of gifts, Come, light of [our] hearts. |
| Consolator optime, dulcis hospes animae, dulce refrigerium. |
Oh best Comforter, Sweet guest of the soul, Sweet refreshment. |
| In labore requies, in aestu temperies in fletu solatium. |
In Labor rest in the heat, moderation; in tears, solace. |
| O lux beatissima, reple cordis intima tuorum fidelium. |
O most blessed Light fill the inmost heart of thy faithful. |
| Sine tuo numine, nihil est in homine, nihil est innoxium. |
Without your spirit, nothing is in man, nothing that is harmless |
| Lava quod est sordidum, riga quod est aridum, sana quod est saucium. |
Wash that which is sordid water that which is dry, heal that which is wounded. |
| Flecte quod est rigidum, fove quod est frigidum, rege quod est devium. |
Make flexible that which is rigid, warm that which is cold, rule that which is deviant. |
| Da tuis fidelibus, in te confidentibus, sacrum septenarium. |
Give to thy faithful, who trust in thee the sevenfold gifts. |
| Da virtutis meritum, da salutis exitum, da perenne gaudium, Amen, Alleluia. |
Grant to us the merit of virtue, Grant salvation at our going forth, Grant eternal joy. Amen. Alleluia. |
Here is the trational Gregorian Chant of this sequence:
And here is a rather nice modern version of the same text:
Thanks Msgr Pope. This is great for us babies coming into the Church. I try to practice my latin everyday. Singing in latin is much easier to grasp. Plus the text along with the music make the learning experience much more enjoyable.
How can I get a copy of the Gregorian chant of the Pentecost Sequence? It is a wonder and joy to find that our most important times after and including Easter have the Sequence music as part of the Mass.
I would like to get a copy so that we may use it on Pentecost Sunday at my church in Houston, Tx., at Our Lady of the Assumption parish. Thank you.