Adoro te devote
"Adoro te devote" is a Eucharistic hymn written by Thomas Aquinas.[1] "Adoro te devote" is one of the five Eucharistic hymns, which were composed and set to music for the Solemnity of Corpus Christi, instituted in 1264 by Pope Urban IV as a Solemnity for the entire Roman Catholic Church.
Since the beginning of its composition and it being set to music, the "Adoro te devote" was chanted as an Eucharistic Hymn during the Saint Mass in honorem SS. Sacramenti (in honour of the Most Blessed Sacrament), as it was written in the Latin manuscripts. So it was also chanted for the Eucharistic adoration.
Strictly speaking, Aquinas seems to have used it also as a private prayer, for a daily adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.
The "Adoro te devote" is one of the medieval poetic compositions, being used as spoken prayers and also as chanted hymns, which were preserved in the Missale Romanum published in 1570 following the Council of Trent (1545–1563).
The "Adoro te devote" is still sung today, though its use is optional in the post-Vatican II Ordinary form.
Text and literal translation
Latin text | literal English translation |
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There are two[3] variant readings of the Latin text, with slightly different nuances to some of the words: "most of the variations occur in the first two verses. The substitution of the words "posset omni scélere" in place of "quit ab omni scélere" in the second-to-last verse and "cupio" for "sitio" in the closing one are practically the only other changes"[3]. This does not affect the overall meaning of the lines or stanzas so that "either variant may be legitimately used according to local custom."[3]
Poetic English translations
There have been at least 16 significant English translations of the Adoro te devote, reflecting its popularity as a prayer and hymn.[4] The following table contains three translations by significant English speaking poets and hymn writers.
Edward Bouverie Pusey translation | Edward Caswall translation | Gerard Manley Hopkins translation |
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Additional translations, with their opening line, are as follows:
- John O'Hagan (1822-1890) Hidden God, devoutly I adore thee
Liturgical use
This hymn was added to the Roman Missal in 1570 by Pope Pius V, and also it has more quotations in the Catechism of the Catholic Church (n. 1381).
This Eucharistic hymn was generally chanted with a genuflection in front of the Blessed Sacrament, which is Jesus Christ God, the Lord and the Saviour, the Saint King, King of Israel and King of Kings.
It was much more like than what is written in the Bible for the Sanctus, something generally chanted in Heaven by the angelic hierarchies.
The hymn is typically used as an Eucharistic hymn and is sung either during the distribution of communion at Mass, or during the Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament.
Final prayer
Until the first half of the nineteenth century, the (Eucharistic) chant Adoro Te devote was often used to be followed by this second Thanksgiving prayer, referred to Jesus Christ God:
- Obsecro Te, sancte Domine Jesu
- Christe, ut passio tua sit mihi virtus
- qua muniar atque defendar,
- vulnera tua sit mihi cibus potusque
- quibus pascar, inebrier atque delecter;
- aspersio sanguinis tui sit mihi ablutio
- omnium delictorum meorum;
- resurrectio tua sit mihi gloria
- sempiterna. In his sit mihi refectio,
- exultatio sanitas et dulcedo
- cordis mei. Qui vivis et regnas in
- unitate Patri et Spiritus Sancti Deus
- per omnia saecula saeculorum.
- Amen.
The 13 December 1849, Pope Pio IX stated a period of some days of indulgence in favour of any Christian people having declaimed this prayer.[6]
See also
Notes
- ^ Christopher Howse, 'Not a hymn but a personal poem,'. The Telegraph. 17 Jan 2015. retrieved 5 Nov 2015.
- ^ a b c Schola Cantorum Mediolanensis. Video with music sheet with Latin text and trigram notation. youtube (in Latin). Mikan. Retrieved 2 August 2018.
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suggested) (help), at the points: 1:10, 2:00, 3:46 minutes - ^ a b c E. McNamara (23 May 2010). "The Adoro te Devote and more on blue vestments". zenit.org. Retrieved 2 August 2018.
- ^ Catholic Encyclopedia 1917, "Adoro te devote". retrieved 5 Nov 2015
- ^ Adoro te devote, two versions and a translation retrieved 5 Nov 2015
- ^ Giuseppe Riva, Manuale di Filotea, Milano, 1860, pag. 213
References
- This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Adoro Te Devote". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
External links
- Latin Wikisource has original text related to this article: Adoro te devote