SALUTIS AETERNAE DATOR We will sing this translation from St. Meinrad. I like this kind of poetry. Straight forward and effective images like early 20th century poets. AND rhymes! Here is a PDF ALL SAINTS HYMN at LAUDS All Saints Program for Mass
Rejoice for all the saints this day, Who ran by faith the nar- row way. The great and low to- geth- er stand With glory crowned at God’s right hand.
2. How blest are they the Spir- it’s poor, Their king is Je- sus Christ the Lord, And all who mourned have found new birth; The pa- tient meek a- wait the earth.
3. How blest are those who fought the fight, God’s jus- tice fills their thirst for right. The pure of heart God’s face be- hold; The mer- ci- ful have o- ver- flowed.
4. How blest are those who wrought the peace As heirs they share the Vic- tor’s feast; And pro- phets by in- just- ice slain Have claimed the King- dom’s right- eous reign
5. Come, mar- tyrs red and vir- gins white, All teach- ers wise and stu- dents bright, All wives and hus- bands, monks and nuns, With bish- ops, priests, and dea- cons, come.
6. Come, ho- ly men and wom- en all With heart and voice sing praise and call To Christ who rose tri- umph- ant- ly That we may join your com- pan- y.
7. Most blest the Fa- ther and the Son, Most blest the Spir- it, Three in One. Your King- dom come, your will be done Your praise for ev- er more be sung. A-men.
Does anyone have easy access to the Latin text as it appears in the present Liturgy of the Hours? I like a lot about Hagan's text, qua text. (But there are a few lines that may have been improved, had Father Hagan had a good editor to question him on some of his turns of phrase.) But, perhaps more important than any of these minor flaws, if they are such, I suspect that Hagan's text may not be very close to what the Latin says. That's why I'd like to see it.
The line about "martyrs red and virgins white" is certainly not in the former Latin text found in the Breviary. And I doubt that anything of the sort is found in the "new" Latin text in the Liturgia Hororum (which, if I understand correctly, is actually the original Latin text).
Evidently, the present hymn is the completely revised result, thanks to the Urban reform, of the original Iesu, salvator saeculi. The original has been restored to the feast (Nov. 1) in the reform of the Liturgy of the Hours.
Perhaps the tinkering with the tune is (ostensibly) to make it fit better with the English. But I've no problems with using the English text to the Gregobase version of the tune.
I had reviewed these other texts and melodies. I prefer St. Meinrad's version. The text can be quickly apprehended and quickly sung. It is a refreshing text with an innocent tone.
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