St. Francis of Assisi: Lauds and Vespers

Unknown 15^th century:

In cælésti collégio

Francíscus fulget glória,

insígni privilégio

Christi portans insígnia.

Hic cœtus apostólici

est factus consors páuperis,

crucem in se domínici

signum repórtans fœderis.

Hic martyr desidério

crucem post Iesum báiulat,

quem mártyrum consórtio

Christus in cælis cópulat.

Crucem per abstinéntiam

Francíscus ferens iúgiter,

iam confessórum glóriam

adéptus est felíciter.

Candens decóre níveo,

passum hic sequens Dóminum,

nunc castitátis præmio

gaudet in choro vírginum.

Pater, Natus cum Flámine

nos per Francísci vúlnera

lustrent divíno lúmine,

ætérna dantes múnera. Amen.

In the heavenly assembly

Francis shines with glory

By a marked privilege

Bearing the marks of Christ.

This man was made a consort

Of the band of apostolic poverty

Bearing in himself

The sign of the dominical covenant

This man, a martyr by desire

Carried the Cross after Jesus

Whom Christ joined to the consort

Of martyrs in heaven.

The Cross through abstinence

Francis ever carrying

Now happily he has been taken

Into the glory of the Confessors.  

White, adorned like snow

Following the outstretched Lord

Now with the reward of chastity

he rejoices in the chorus of Virgins.

May the Father, the Son with the Flaming Spirit

Through the wounds of Francis

Shine upon us with divine light

Granting eternal gifts.  Amen. 

From Greg Rogers

In Heaven’s blest community
St Francis shines among the stars
With humble marks of unity
He bears the crucifixion scars

He carried in himself the sign
That marks the sacrificial tree
And showed, with apostolic shine
The wealth of blessed poverty

This man, who sought a martyr’s crown
And bore the wounds most joyfully
Was joined to martyr’s of renown
In heaven’s joyful company

With pain he suffered for his cross
Abstaining from the world’s delight
To hold the Good that bears no loss
Confessing to that glory bright

With beauty white like virgin snow
A  lamb who heard the Masters voice
Both chaste and chastened he did go
To add to Virgin’s choir his voice

May God so shine a holy light
Through those sweet wounds that Francis bore
A gift of flame so pure and bright
Both here and now and evermore
Amen