Pange lingua

General Information

Pange lingua are, originally, the opening words of a hymn by Venantius Fortunatus. Several mediaeval hymns cite these words. By far the most prominent of them is the sequence of the feast of Corpus Christi, ascribed to Thomas Aquinas (13th century), the text of which is given below. Single stanzas have also been set to music, especially Tantum ergo and Genitori Genitoque, as well as Verbum caro.

Settings by composers

• Anton Bruckner
  • in D major (1st verse only)
  • composed 1868 (verses 1, 5 and 6)
• William Byrd (stanzas 2, 4, 5 and Amen set by Byrd; verses 1, 3 and 6 set to plainchant)
• Giovanni Maria Casini (1st verse only)
• Charles H. Giffen
  • Pange lingua (1st stanza only)
  • Tantum ergo (5th and 6th stanzas)
• Gregorian chant (verses 1, 5 and 6)
• Francisco Guerrero (verses 2, 4 and 5)
• Lorenzo Perosi (verses 1, 5 and 6)
• Giuseppe Pitoni (1st verse only)
• Tomás Luis de Victoria
  • Pange lingua gloriosi, in festo Corporis Christi (verses 2, 4 and 6 set by Victoria; verses 1, 3 and 5 set to plainchant)
  • Pange lingua "more hispano" de Corporis Christi (verses 2, 4 and 6 set by Victoria; verses 1, 3 and 5 set to plainchant)
  • Pange lingua (verses 1, 5 and 6)

Original text and translations

Latin text Pange lingua gloriosi corporis mysterium sanguinisque pretiosi, quem in mundi pretium fructus ventris generosi Rex effudit Gentium. Nobis datus, nobis natus ex intacta virgine et in mundo conversatus, sparso verbi semine, sui moras incolatus miro clausit ordine. In supremae nocte cenae recumbens cum fratribus observata lege plene cibis in legalibus, cibum turbae duodenae se dat suis manibus. Verbum caro, panem verum verbo carnem efficit: fitque sanguis Christi merum, et si sensus deficit, ad firmandum cor sincerum sola fides sufficit. Tantum ergo sacramentum veneremur cernui, et antiquum documentum novo cedat ritui; praestet fides supplementum sensuum defectui. Genitori Genitoque laus et iubilatio, salus, honor, virtus quoque sit et benedictio; procedenti ab utroque compar sit laudatio. Amen.

English translation Sing, my tongue, The mystery of the glorious body, And of the precious Blood That for the world’s salvation The fruit of a noble womb, The king of the nations, shed. Given to us, born to us, From an unblemished virgin, And having lived in the world, Scattering the seed of the Word, The time of his habitation Miraculously He closed in due order. In the night of His last supper, Resting with His brothers, The law being fully observed With permitted foods, To the group of twelve He gave Himself as food with his own hands. The Word in flesh true bread By a word makes His flesh, And also makes true wine the Blood of Christ, And if sense is lacking, To confirm a true heart Faith alone suffices. Therefore so great a Sacrament Let us fall down and worship, And let the old law Give way to a new rite, And let faith stand forward To make good the defects of sense. To the Father and the Son Be praise and joy, Health, honour and virtue And blessing, And to him proceeding from both Be equal praise. Amen

English translation

Sound, tongue, the mystery of the glorious body and of the precious blood, which the King of the Peoples, to redeem the world, poured out as the fruit of a noble womb.

Given to us, born to us, by a pure virgin, having dwelled in the world and spread the seed of the word, He completed his time on earth in a miraculuos way.

When, on the night of His last supper, He sat down with His brothers, after fulfilling the law of the ordained (Paschal) meal, He gave himself, with His own hands, to the twelve as nourishment.

The Word that became flesh, by His word turnes true bread into His flesh; and wine becomes the blood of Christ; and if the senses cannot comprehend it, to give assurance to a sincere heart, faith alone suffices.

So let us devoutly revere this great sacrament, and the old covenant may give way to the new rite. May faith grant assistance to the deficiency of our senses.

Jubilant praise, glory, laud, honor, and benediction be to the Father and the Son. Equal praise be to Him that proceeds from the two.

French translation

Chante, ô ma langue

le mystère du Corps glorieux

et du sang précieux

que le roi des nations,

fils d'une mère féconde,

a versé pour le rachat du monde.

External links

Wikipedia entry on Pange lingua