English translation of
Veni Creator Spiritus
Come, Holy Ghost
Come, Holy Ghost, Creator blest,
and in our hearts take up Thy rest;
come with Thy grace and heav'nly aid,
To fill the hearts which Thou hast made.
O Comforter, to Thee we cry,
Thou heav'nly gift of God most high,
Thou Fount of life, and Fire of love,
and sweet anointing from above.
O Finger of the hand divine,
the sevenfold gifts of grace are thine;
true promise of the Father thou,
who dost the tongue with power endow.
Thy light to every sense impart,
and shed thy love in every heart;
thine own unfailing might supply
to strengthen our infirmity.
Drive far away our ghostly foe,
and thine abiding peace bestow;
if thou be our preventing Guide,
no evil can our steps betide.
Praise we the Father and the Son
and Holy Spirit with them One;
and may the Son on us bestow
the gifts that from the Spirit flow.
V. Send forth Thy Spirit, and they shall be created.
R. And Thou shalt renew the face of the earth.
Let us Pray
O God, Who didst instruct the hearts of the faithful by the light of the Holy Ghost: give to us, in the same Spirit, to know what is right, and ever rejoice in His consolation. Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who with Thee livest and reignest in the unity of the same Holy Spirit, God. World without end. Amen.
Click here for the Latin lyrics.
This is a famous Catholic Gregorian chant hymn, actually the Vespers hymn for the feast of Pentecost. This is not to be confused with another of the Church's beautiful chants, Veni Sancte Spiritus, which is the Sequence of Pentecost.
Not only used during vespers, this hymn is traditionally sung during ordinations to the priesthood, while the Bishop imposes his hands on each of the ordinands and actually imprints the priestly character on their souls. It is sung on the occasion of another sacrament as well - that of Confirmation. Either as the entrance or exit hymn, or during the ceremony itself.
This hymn is very ancient, having been written by Rabanus Maurus (776-856). He was born over 12 centuries ago! America was founded about 2 centuries ago, to give a comparison.
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