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.

Original text

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.

External links

Wikipedia entry on Pange lingua