Hymn for the blessing of church doors
  • Randolph Nichols
    Posts: 398
    On the first Sunday of Advent, the parish where I direct a chant schola will be dedicating new doors that now grace the front entrance. Since the schola always sings on the first Sunday of each month, we have been asked to sing a Latin hymn for this blessing. According to the directives for the rite, “If the rite is celebrated before Mass begins, a hymn is sung during the procession to the church doors. . .” The prescribed Gospel reading is Jn 10:1-10 (“I am the door . . .”).

    Does a particular Latin hymn come to mind that would be appropriate for this occasion. I could use some help here. Thanks in advance.
  • Richard MixRichard Mix
    Posts: 2,767
    Right now I have "Lift up your heads" on my brain: Holy Saturday's Elevamini won't quite fit the bill, but Attolite portas might. Another approach is to figure out where John 10 ("Easter 4A" to some of us) falls in the historical calendar. I've only gotten so far at CPDL [edit: nothing that useful among the three French hens propers, alas.]

    I wonder if anyone has done a non-Handel "Messiah" program of motets, reverse-translating Jennens' libretto?
  • Chris Garton-Zavesky
    Posts: 6,902
    The Common for the Dedication of a Church includes

    Caelestis urbs Jerusalam at First Vespers

    or

    at Lauds.


    But you could sing something like Locus Iste of Bruckner.

  • chonakchonak
    Posts: 9,157
    The group is a men's chant schola, so the Caelestis is probably more practicable than the SATB Bruckner motet.
  • Chris Garton-Zavesky
    Posts: 6,902
    Indeed. I missed that detail.

    Then there's this TTBB setting of the Locus Iste, written for just such a situation

    https://forum.musicasacra.com/forum/discussion/13700/locus-iste-a-deo-factus-est/p1
  • M. Jackson Osborn
    Posts: 8,367
    I like Richard's suggestion of 'Lift Up Your Heads, Ye Mighty Gates'. This is a stirring hymn based on psalm xxiv, and is full of mystical imagery. It may be found at no. 484 in The Hymnal 1940.

    Perhaps better would be to sing Psalm xxiv itself to a Gregorian tone or to Anglican chant.
    Thanked by 2CHGiffen CharlesW
  • Kathy
    Posts: 5,499
    Angularis fundamentum
    Thanked by 2CHGiffen chonak
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