Hymn to Saint Christine by Bishop Schrembs
  • Don9of11Don9of11
    Posts: 803
    I have received a request from the former Cleveland Dioceasen music director. He is looking for a hymn by Bishop Schrembs of Cleveland, Ohio. Bishop Schrembs was responsible for acquiring and bringing the relic of St Christine to the Cathedrlal of St John, where she now lies in the Cathedral Resurrection Chapel. Bishop Schrembs was an avid musician and supposedly composed a HYMN to ST CHRISTINE with multiple verses commemorating her arrival and dwelling place in Cleveland.

    I have looked through all of Bishop Schrembs hymn books that I have and could not find this hymn. I was wondering if anyone on the forum knows of it or might have a copy of it?
  • RichardSchletty
    Posts: 3
    I found this article about the relics of St. Christine (or Christina) being presented to Archbishop Schrembs in 1925 by Pope Pius XI. Perhaps you have seen this.

    https://saintjohncathedral.com/st-christine-relics

    "Her remains were discovered in the catacombs of St. Calixtus / St. Pontianus outside Rome in the 18th century. At that time, the relics of the saints contained in the catacombs were moved to the Vatican. Within the Diocese of Cleveland, Bp. Schrembs set her feast day as November 5th. This St. Christine is certainly not St. Christina of Bolsena (whose relics are still in Italy) nor any other saint that you would find in a "Lives of the Saints". The evidence indicates that Christine was a girl of 13 or 14 who died for her faith around the year 300."

    I would contact the The Cathedral of Saint John the Evangelist to see if they can find Bishop Schrembs' Hymn to Saint Christina (or Christine).
    Thanked by 1Don9of11
  • Don9of11Don9of11
    Posts: 803
    I have contacted the Music Director for the Cleveland Diocese and the Cathedral archives has a Litany with music composed by Bishop Schrembs for St. Christina, but I have not see it yet.
  • Don9of11Don9of11
    Posts: 803
    I hear back from the archivist at the Cleveland Cathedral and this is the hymn set to music by Bishop Schrembs.

    O Fairest Flower of Italy - St. Christine.jpg
    2027 x 3125 - 435K
  • RoborgelmeisterRoborgelmeister
    Posts: 307
    The text of the stanzas and the Refrain are L.M. I would be possible to sing it to a L.M.D. tune.
    This suggests that tunes for "Let the deep organ swell the lay" might be useful.
    https://hymnary.org/text/let_the_deep_organ_swell_the_lay
    Back in the 70s, the Episcopal Diocese of Chicgao paired that hymn text to "Creation," a clever rip-off of Haydn's chorus, "The heavens are telling."
    https://hymnary.org/tune/creation_haydn?page=3#instances
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