Pange Lingua Gloriosi Proelium Certaminis

Pange Lingua Gloriosi Proelium Certaminis is a sixth-century Latin sequence hymn generally credited to the Christian poet St Venantius Fortunatus, Bishop of Poitiers, celebrating the Passion of Christ. In the Catholic Church, the first five stanzas are used at Matins during Passiontide in the Divine Office, with the remaining stanzas (beginning with Lustra sex) sung at Lauds. Both parts are chanted during the Adoration of the Cross on Good Friday.

This hymn later inspired Thomas Aquinas to write the hymn Pange Lingua Gloriosi Corporis Mysterium for the Feast of Corpus Christi.

Latin text

Cantatorium, X° siècle

Pange, lingua, gloriosi proelium certaminis

et super crucis trophaeo dic triumphum nobilem,

qualiter redemptor orbis immolatus vicerit.

De parentis protoplasti fraude factor condolens,

quando pomi noxialis morte morsu corruit,

ipse lignum tunc notavit, damna ligni ut solveret.

Hoc opus nostrae salutis ordo depoposcerat,

multiformis perditoris arte ut artem falleret

et medelam ferret inde, hostis unde laeserat.

Quando venit ergo sacri plenitudo temporis,

missus est ab arce patris natus orbis conditor

atque ventre virginali carne factus prodiit.

Vagit infans inter arta conditus praesaepia,

membra pannis involuta virgo mater adligat,

et pedes manusque crura stricta pingit fascia.

Lustra sex qui iam peracta tempus implens corporis,

se volente, natus ad hoc, passioni deditus,

agnus in crucis levatur immolandus stipite.

Hic acetum, fel, arundo, sputa, clavi, lancea;

mite corpus perforatur; sanguis, unda profluit,

terra pontus astra mundus quo lavantur flumine.

Crux fidelis, inter omnes arbor una nobilis,

nulla talem silva profert flore, fronde, germine,

dulce lignum dulce clavo dulce pondus sustinens.

Flecte ramos, arbor alta, tensa laxa viscera,

et rigor lentescat ille quem dedit nativitas,

ut superni membra regis mite tendas stipite.

Sola digna tu fuisti ferre pretium saeculi

atque portum praeparare nauta mundo naufrago,

quem sacer cruor perunxit fusus agni corpore.

External links

• Gregorian chant of the Crux fidelis / Pange lingua on YouTube
• "Pange Lingua Gloriosi (Explanation report and rhymed translation Sing loud the conflict, O my tongue". Catholic Encyclopedia. http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11441c.htm. 
• Rhymed translation: Sing, my Tongue, the Glorious Battle including a doxology (Glory be) strophe