Sacris solemniis
"Sacris solemniis" is a hymn written by St. Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274) for the feast of Corpus Christi (also known as the Solemnity of the Holy Body and Blood of Christ). The strophe of Sacris solemniis that begins with the words "Panis angelicus" (bread of angels) has often been set to music separately from the rest of the hymn. Most famously, in 1872 César Franck set this strophe for voice (tenor), harp, cello, and organ, and incorporated it into his Messe à trois voix Opus 12. The hymn exults that, just as Christ gave his body and blood to his disciples at the Last Supper, so too can the poorest believers receive him in the sacrament of the Eucharist, which is what the feast celebrates.
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The phenomenon whereby the strophe of Sacris solemniis that begins with the words "Panis angelicus" is often treated as a separate hymn has occurred also with other hymns that Thomas Aquinas wrote for Corpus Christi: Verbum supernum prodiens (the last two strophes beginning with "O salutaris hostia"), Adoro te devote (the strophe beginning with "Pie pelicane, Jesu Domine"), and Pange lingua gloriosi corporis mysterium (the last two strophes beginning with "Tantum ergo").
Latin text and English version
The Latin text below is from the Liturgy of the Hours. The English translation is a cento based upon a translation by John David Chambers (1805–1893).[1]
Text
Latin text | An English translation |
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See also
References
- Thesaurus Precum Latinarum, "Sacris Solemniis"
External links
- Sacris Solemniis in the Catholic Encyclopedia discusses the merits of a number of different translations.
- Another translation and historical explanation of the text
- Full text of Sacris solemniis, with an English translation
- Gregorian Chants
- Free scores for various settings of Panis angelicus in the Choral Public Domain Library (ChoralWiki)