| Contents | Veni, Sancte Spiritus Come, Holy Spirit |
Pentecoste |
Veni, Sancte Spiritus, known as the Golden Sequence, is the sequence for the Mass for Pentecost. It is commonly regarded as one of the greatest masterpieces of sacred Latin poetry ever written. Its beauty and depth have been praised by many. The hymn has been attributed to three different authors, King Robert II the Pious of France (970-1031), Pope Innocent III (1161-1216), and Stephen Langton (d 1228), Archbishop of Canterbury, of which the last is most likely the author.
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| VENI, Sancte Spiritus, et emitte caelitus lucis tuae radium. |
COME, Holy Ghost, send down those beams, which sweetly flow in silent streams from Thy bright throne above. |
| Veni, pater pauperum, veni, dator munerum veni, lumen cordium. |
O come, Thou Father of the poor; O come, Thou source of all our store, come, fill our hearts with love. |
| Consolator optime, dulcis hospes animae, dulce refrigerium. |
O Thou, of comforters the best, O Thou, the soul's delightful guest, the pilgrim's sweet relief. |
| In labore requies, in aestu temperies in fletu solatium. |
Rest art Thou in our toil, most sweet refreshment in the noonday heat; and solace in our grief. |
| O lux beatissima, reple cordis intima tuorum fidelium. |
O blessed Light of life Thou art; fill with Thy light the inmost heart of those who hope in Thee. |
| Sine tuo numine, nihil est in homine, nihil est innoxium. |
Without Thy Godhead nothing can, have any price or worth in man, nothing can harmless be. |
| Lava quod est sordidum, riga quod est aridum, sana quod est saucium. |
Lord, wash our sinful stains away, refresh from heaven our barren clay, our wounds and bruises heal. |
| Flecte quod est rigidum, fove quod est frigidum, rege quod est devium. |
To Thy sweet yoke our stiff necks bow, warm with Thy fire our hearts of snow, our wandering feet recall. |
| Da tuis fidelibus, in te confidentibus, sacrum septenarium. |
Grant to Thy faithful, dearest Lord, whose only hope is Thy sure word, the sevenfold gifts of grace. |
| Da virtutis meritum, da salutis exitum, da perenne gaudium, Amen, Alleluia. |
Grant us in life Thy grace that we, in peace may die and ever be, in joy before Thy face. Amen. Alleluia. |
| From the Roman Missal, translation by John Austin (1613-1669). |
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