Hymn for the Feast of St. Mark: Paulinus II of Aquileia

 

Jam nunc per omne lux refulget sæculum,
Lux illa Patris quæ lucet de solio,
Quæ fons, origo, splendor lucis aureæ,
Habensque semper lumen indeficiens,
Cœlum serenat arcens mundi tenebras.

Hujus sacrato lucis de vibramine,
Suscepit almum radium sub pectore
Marcus beatus, doctor evangelicus;
Factus lucerna more tanti luminis,
Ardens fugavit sæculi caligenem.

Septem columnis una de candidulis,

Aureis septem unum de candelabris,

Cingitque totum mundum claro sidere:

Ecclesiarum nititur sub colmine,

Sustentat altæ fundamenta

Quantum quod olim viderat Ezechiel

Propheta sanctus, animal lætissumum

Vidit Joannes, ceu Christi recubitor,

Leonis hoc et typice sub specie

Clamore multo per deserta frendere.

Sic a beato Petro missus adiit
Aquileidnsem dudum famosissimam
Urbam sacrati Verbi pullulantia
Disseminavit, satosque centuplices
Fructus ad alta vexit felix horrea.

Christi dicavit mox ibi Ecclesiam:

Nam fundamentum fidei fortissimum

Fixerat unum petram super limpidam,

Quam flumen undans, nec ventorum fulmina

Quassare possunt, torrentes nec pluviæ.

Deinde rursus cum corona remeans,

Athleta Christi compta pulchris liliis,

Mistumque palmis, lauro atque rosulis,

Portabat gaudens diadema vertice,

Ingressus urbem Romam Christo comite.

His ita gestis pergit Alexandriam,
Sancto repletus Spiritu, lætissimos
Fines per omnes jugiter Memphiticos
Patris tremendi prædicabat unicum
Venisse mundi pro salute Filium.

Turba crudelis Christi circa militem

Tumens parabat tormentorum spicula:

Vinxit catenis, transfixit aculeis,

Dilaniando flagris sancta viscera:

Carceris umbras misit ad phantasticas.

Primus superni Numinis notitiam

Dedit in urbem Marcus Alexandriam:

Christi dicavit mox ibi basilicam,

Quam expiavit pretioso sanguine:

Vallavit almæ fidei munimine.

Gloria Patri, decus et imperium

Sit Nate semper tibi super sidera

Honor, potestas, Sanctoque Spiritui;

Sit Trinitati virtus individuæ,

Per infinita sæculorum sæcula. Amen.

Now throughout all the world light glitters, the light which shines from the throne  of the Father, the fount, the origin of the golden light, having in itself an inexhaustible lamp, which brings peace to heaven and repels the darkness of the world.  Blessed Mark, the teacher of the Gospel, received in his heart the nourishing ray of this brilliant,  holy light; Made a burning lamp of such a great light, he put to flight the darkness of the world.  One of the seven white columns, one of the seven golden candlesticks,  he encircles also the whole world with the brightness of a star; he holds up the  pillar of the Church, sustains the foundation of her heights.  He is one of those happy creatures whom the prophet Ezekiel and John, the disciple who leaned on Jesus’ breast, once saw under  the type and figure of a Lion, who roars loudly in the desert. So sent by blessed Peter he came to Aquileia, that city once most famous, and planted the sprout of the holy Word, and joyfully gathered into the granary a hundred-fold harvest for heaven.  There he swiftly established the Church of Christ: he set her on a most secure foundation of faith, upon the single certain Rock, against which billowing waves, raging storms could not prevail.  Then the athlete of Christ returned, crowned with a wreath of beautiful lilies, with palms, laurel and roses, joyfully bearing his diadem on his head, he entered Rome, accompanied by Christ. When he had finished these things, he set out for Alexandria, filled with the Holy Spirit, through all the ever-blessed territory of Memphis, he preached that the only-begotten Son of the mighty Father had come for the salvation of the world. A savage mob surrounded the soldier of Christ and prepared weapons of torture, bound with chains, pierced with arrows, his holy body whipped with scourges, he was sent into a hideous prison.  Mark was the first to proclaim the heavenly Deity in the city of Alexandria. He quickly insisted that a basilica of Christ be built there, which he paid for with his precious blood and strengthened with his nourishing faith.  Glory, honor and authority to the Father, and to the you, O Son, ever beyond the stars, honor and power to the Holy Spirit, might to the undivided Trinity, through unending ages. Amen.