Caro mea vere est cibus

General information

Eucharistic song for Corpus Christi.
Text based on John 6:56-59.

Settings by composers

Giovanni Bassano ATBB.ATBB Heinrich Finck SATB Andrea Gabrieli SATB Mathieu Gascongne SATB

Ruggiero Giovannelli SAAAB or SATTB (vv.56 & 59b only) Francisco Guerrero ATBB or SATB Philippe de Monte SATTB Cipriano de Rore AATB

Other settings possibly not included in the manual list above

• Heinrich Isaac — Alleluia: Caro mea
• Giudoco Traghi — Caro mea
• Anthonis Vermeeren — Caro mea vere

Text and translations

Latin text 56  Caro mea vere est cibus: et sanguis meus vere est potus. 57  Qui manducat meam carnem et bibit meum sanguinem in me manet, et ego in illo[eo]. 58  Sicut me misit vivens Pater et ego vivo propter patrem et qui manducat me et ipse vivet propter me. 59  Hic est panis qui de caelo descendit non sicut manducaverunt patres vestri manna et mortui sunt. Qui manducat hunc panem vivet in aeternum. German translation 56  Mein Fleisch ist wirklich eine Speise, und mein Blut ist wirklich ein Trank. 57  Wer mein Fleisch ißt und mein Blut trinkt, bleibt in mir und ich in ihm. 58  Wie mich der lebendige Vater gesandt hat, so wird, wer mich ißt, auch selbst leben wegen mir.

English translation 56  My flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. 57  Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. 58  As the living Father hath sent me and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, the same also shall live by me. 59  This is the bread that came down from heaven. Not as your fathers did eat manna and are dead. He that eateth this bread shall live for ever.