Recessit Pastor noster

General information

No. 4 of the Tenebrae Responsories for Holy Saturday

Settings by composers

• Carlo Gesualdo SSATBB
• Jacob Handl SATB
• Orlando di Lasso SATB
• Tomás Luis de Victoria SATB

Other settings possibly not included in the manual list above

• Ruggerio Argilliano — Recessit Pastor noster
• Johann Michael Haydn — Recessit pastor noster
• Jan Dismas Zelenka — Recessit pastor noster, ZWV 55:22
• Jan Dismas Zelenka — Responsories for Holy Saturday, ZWV 55:19-27

Original text and translations

Latin text Recessit pastor noster fons aquae vivae ad cuius transitum sol obscuratus est: Nam et ille captus est, qui captivum tenebat primum hominem: hodie portas mortis et seras pariter Salvator noster disrupit. Verse: Destruxit quidem claustra inferni et subvertit potentias diaboli. {Nam et ille…] Alternative verse Ante cuius conspectum mors fugit, Ad cuius vocem mortui resurgent: Videntes autem eum portae mortis confractae sunt.

English translation Our Shepherd is departed, the fount of living water, At whose passing the sun was darkened, For even he was made captive who was holding captive the first man. Today the gates of death and their bars as well our Savior has destroyed. Verse: Indeed He has destroyed the strongholds of the underworld And he has overthrown the powers of the devil. [For even he…] Alternative verse Before whose presence death flees At whose voice the dead will be raised; And seeing him the gates of death are broken. Translation by Paul Pascal

Portuguese translation Morre o nosso pastor, fonte de água viva, em sua morte o Sol escureceu, Pois foi feito prisioneiro aquele que manteve cativo o primeiro homem. Hoje os portões e as cadeias da morte o nosso Salvador destruiu. Verse: Ele destruiu os cárceres do submundo e Ele subjugou as forças do Inferno.