Grates nunc omnes

Grates nunc omnes is the title and first three words of the Latin sequence for Midnight Mass at Christmas.

History

It dates from the 11th century and first appears in a troparion from Regensburg dating to 1030. It belongs to a set of sequences which fell out of use in the official Roman Catholic liturgy after the Council of Trent.

The 'Grates nunc omnes' sequence was also used for communion and as a processional song. In the 14th century a custom developed of linking sequences with German-language responsorial stanzas. The leise 'Lovet sistu Ihesu Crist' is first documented in a Middle Low German manuscript of 1380 from the Cistercian monastery at Medingen. Martin Luther used this and six more verses to create his Christmas hymn Gelobet seist du, Jesu Christ (EG 23, GL 252).

Text and translations
Latin Translation
(from the Latin)
 German translation
(Hymnal, Michael Vehe, 1537)
 German adaptation
(14th century, via Martin Luther)
Grates nunc omnes
reddamus Domino Deo
qui sua nativitate
nos liberavit de diabolica potestate.
Huic oportet ut canamus cum angelis
semper sit gloria in excelsis.
Let us now all
return thanks to the Lord God
who by his nativity
freed us from the devil's power.
For this it is right that we sing with the angels
"forever let there be glory in the highest"
Dank sagen wir alle mit Schalle
dem Herrn unserm Gott
der durch sein Geburt uns erlöset hat
von der teuflischen Macht und Gewalt.
Dem sollen wir mit seinen Engeln fröhlich singen
allzeit Preis in der Höhe.
Gelobet seist du, Jesu Christ,
dass du Mensch geboren bist
von einer Jungfrau, das ist wahr,
des freuet sich der Engel Schar.
Kyrieleis.

Bibliography
  • (in German) Hansjakob Becker and others (ed.): Geistliches Wunderhorn. Große deutsche Kirchenlieder. C. H. Beck, München 2001, ISBN 3-406-48094-2, S. 69–75.
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References
    • (in German) Full text of Gelobet seist du, Jesu Christ
    • (in German) Gelobet seist du, Jesu Christ. In: Populäre und traditionelle Lieder. Historisch-kritisches Liederlexikon of the Deutsche Volksliedarchiv
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