Traditional Catholic Prayers: The LITURGICAL SEQUENCES of ADAM of ST. VICTOR

Traditional Catholic Prayers: The LITURGICAL SEQUENCES of ADAM of ST. VICTOR



XXIII. DEDICATIO ECCLESIAE
[English]

QUAM DILECTA TABERNACULA DOMINI VIRTUTUM, et ATRIA!

Quam electi
Architecti
Tuta aedificia,
Quae non movent,
Imo fovent
Ventus, flumen, pluvia!

Quam decora fundamenta
Per concinna sacramenta
Umbrae praecurrentia!
Latus Adae dormientis
Evam fundit, in manentis
Copulae primordia.

Arca ligno fabricata
Noe servat, gubernata
Mundi per diluvium.
Prole sera tandem foeta,
Anus Sara ridet laeta,
Nostrum lactans gaudium.

Servus bibit qui legatur
Ex camelus adaquatur
Ex Rebeccae hydria.
Haec inaures et armillas
Aptat sibi, ut per illas
Virgo fiat congrua.

Synagoga supplantatur
A Jacob, dum devagatur
Nimis freta litterae.
Liam lippam latent multa:
Quibus Rachel videns fulta,
Pari nubit foedere.

In bivio tegens nuda,
Germinos parit ex Juda
Thamar diu vidua.
Hic Moyses a puella,
Dum se lavat, in fiscella
Reperitur scirpea.

Hic mas agnus immolatur,
Quo Israel satiatur,
Tinctus ejus sanguine.
Hic transitur rubens unda,
Aegyptios sub profunda
Obruens voragine.

Hic est urna manna plena,
Hic mandata legis dena,
Sed in arca foederis.
Hic sunt aedis ornamenta,
Hic Aaron indumenta
Quae praecedit poderis.

Hic Urias viduatur,
Bethsabee sublimatur,
Sedis consors regiae.
Haec regi varietate
Vestis astat deauratae,
Sicut regum filiae.

Huc venit Austri regina,
Salomonis quam divina
Condit sapientia.
Haec est nigra sed formosa,
Myrrhae est thuris fumosa,
Virga pigmentaria.

Haec futura
Quae figura
Obumbravit,
Reseravit
Nobis dies gratiae:
Jam in lecto
Cum dilecto
Quiescamus
Et psallamus:
Adsunt enim nuptiae.

Quarum tonat initium
In tubis epulantium
Et finis per psalterium.

Sponsum millena millia
Una canunt melodia,
Sine fine dicentia:
Alleluia!
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XXIII. ON the DEDICATION of a CHURCH
[Latin]

O HOW LOVELY ARE the COURTS DIVINE of the LORD of HOSTS, HIS HALLOWED SHRINE!

O how skilled the
Hands that build thee;
How secure thy walls remain;
Ne'er subverted,
But supported
Rather by wind, flood, and rain!

O how comely thy foundations,
By deep mysteries' celebrations
Shadowing forth the coming day!
Adam, when in sleep reclining,
From his side pours Eve, beginning
Thus a bond to last fro aye.

Noah, in ark of wood constructed,
O'er that flood is safe conducted,
Which did all the world destroy.
Great with offspring long awaited,
Aged Sarah laughs, elated,
Giving milk to feed our joy.

Thirst the servant-legate shaketh,
And its fill his camel taketh,
From Rebecca's water-pail.
She, as rings and chains she weareth,
Fitly thus herself prepareth
To assume the bridal veil.

Since it so the letter vaunteth,
Jacob now the Law supplanteth,
Whilst it roams forth far and wide.
Rachel, since she sees much hidden
From Leah's tender sight, is bidden
To an equal rank as bride.

Tamar, long a widow biding,
By the way her features hiding,
Doth twin-sons to Judah bear.
Here in basket made of rushes
Moses see, who, while she washes,
Was perceived by maiden fair.

Here the male lamb, immolated,
Wherewith Israel's tribes are sated,
And besprinkled with its blood.
Here the Red Sea, safe passed over,
Which the Egyptian host did cover
With its deep devouring flood.

Here the pot that manna filleth;
Here the Decalogue God willeth,
In the ark of covenant bound.
Here the Temple's decorations;
Aaron's robes for ministrations,
Chief the one that sweeps the ground.

Here his wife Uriah loseth;
Here the king for consort chooseth
Bathsheba, his throne to share.
As she by him takes her station,
Dons she gold's rich decoration,
Such as monarch's daughters wear.

Hither Sheba's queen progresseth,
She, whom Solomon impresseth
With his wisdom all-divine:
Black she is, but comely; blending
Charms, as when in smoke ascending
Myrrh and frankincense combine.

Things forth-coming,
Darkly looming,
'Neath types shaded,
Are paraded
Plainly by this day of grace:
With the dear one
Lying near one,
Rest we, raising
Psalms of praising;
For the marriage now takes place.

On first assembling for the feast
Is heard the trumpets' thrilling blast;
Sweet psalteries' notes ring forth at last.

The Bridegroom in ten thousand ways
These myriad minstrels hymn, whose lays
Are still the same, as still they raise
Their Alleluia's endless praise!
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