St. Martin, Bishop

 

 

Lauds: Odo of Cluny

This hymn is taken from the hymn for Vigils, Rex Christe, Martini decus, sung in the properium monasticum.

 

Martíne, par apóstolis,

festum coléntes tu fove;

qui vívere discípulis

aut mori vis, nos réspice.

 

Fac nunc quod olim gésseras,

nunc præsules clarífica,

auge decus Ecclésiæ,

fraudes relíde Sátanæ.

 

Qui ter chaos evísceras,

mersos reátu súscita;

divíseras ut chlámydem,

nos índue iustítiam.

 

Ut speciális glóriæ

quondam tuæ memíneris,

pontíficum nunc órdini

pio favóre súbveni.

 

Sit Trinitáti glória,

Martínus ut conféssus est,

eius fidem qui iúgiter

in nos per actus ínserat. Amen.

 

O Martin, equal to the Apostles, favor those who celebrate your feast, you, whose only wish was to live or die for his disciples, watch over us.  Do now what you once did: illuminate our bishops, increase the honor of the Church, repel the frauds of Satan. Three times you laid waste to hell: raise up those sunk in guilt; as you once shared your cloak,  so pour on us your righteousness.  As you are remembered for your special glory, now with holy love come to help the order of bishops. Glory to the Trinity, as Martin confessed: may his faith ever be grafted into us by our deeds. Amen.

 

 

At the Office of Readings and Vespers: 8^th Century

 

Fr. Joseph Connelly, Hymns of the Roman Liturgy: originally composed as a hymn for St. Martin and later adapted for the Office of Confessor Bishops.

 

Iste conféssor Dómini sacrátus,

festa plebs cuius célebrat per órbem,

hódie lætus méruit secréta

  scándere cæli.

 

Qui pius, prudens, húmilis, pudícus,

sóbrius, castus fuit et quiétus,

vita dum præsens vegetávit eius

  córporis artus.

 

Ad sacrum cuius túmulum frequénter

membra languéntum modo sanitáti,

quólibet morbo fúerint graváti,

  restituúntur.

 

Unde nunc noster chorus in honórem

ipsíus, hymnum canit hunc libénter,

ut piis eius méritis iuvémur

  omne per ævum.

 

Sit salus illi, decus atque virtus,

qui supra cæli résidens cacúmen,

totíus mundi máchinam gubérnat

  trinus et unus. Amen.

 

This is the holy confessor of the Lord, whose feast the people celebrate throughout the world, who this day was deemed worthy to joyfully climb up to the hidden places of heaven.  He was holy, discreet, humble, sober, chaste and quiet, while this present life animated his body. To his holy tomb often came the sick to be healed, those weighted down by any illness to be restored. For this reason now our choir in his honor gladly sing of him that by his merits we may be aided at all times. To him who rests in the height of heaven above be salvation, honor and power, the Three and One who governs the whole fabric of the world. Amen.

 

Or: Office of Readings, 15th Century

 

Christe, pastórum caput atque princeps,

géstiens huius celebráre festum,

débitas sacro pia turba psallit

  cármine laudes,

 

Strénuum bello púgilem supérni

chrísmatis pleno tuus unxit intus

Spíritus dono, posuítque sanctam

  páscere gentem.

 

Hic gregis ductor fuit atque forma,

lux erat cæco, mísero levámen,

próvidus cunctis pater omnibúsque

  ómnia factus.

 

Christe, qui sanctis méritam corónam

reddis in cælis, dócili magístrum

fac sequi vita, similíque tandem

  fine potíri.

  

Æqua laus summum célebret Paréntem

teque, Salvátor, pie rex, per ævum;

Spíritus Sancti résonet per omnem

  glória mundum. Amen.

 

O Christ, Head and Prince of pastors, eager to celebrate the feast of this pastor, the holy band sings due praise with a holy hymn.  Your bishop was anointed within by the gift of the Spirit’s grace from above as a strong fighter in the harsh battle and appointed to feed your holy people. He was the leader of the flock and example for it, a light to the blind, relief to the wretched, a watchful father in all things and doing all things for all his people. O Christ, who rewards the saints in heaven with a merited crown, make us follow this teacher in an obedient life and at last reach the same end. May equal praise celebrate the highest Father and thee, O Savior, though the age; May the glory of the Holy Spirit resound throughout the whole world. Amen.