Tempus Paschale Usque ad Ascensionem Domini

Walpole: This hymn, which bears every mark of great antiquity, is of universal diffusion. Blume, Analecta LI p. 90 remarks that (except the hymns of St Ambrose) this and Christe qui lux es et dies are the only two hymns which are found alike in the ancient Irish hymnaries and in those other than Irish, It is appointed for Lauds on Easter Day and through- out the season ; but it was soon broken up into portions, one of which was used at Terce, and one at Sext. Walsh & Husch: in the revised Breviary, stanzas 1-4, supplemented by two stanzas of later date, form the hymn sung at Lauds on Easter Sunday. The patterning of rhymes within each stanza should be noted; the fact that it is incomplete perhaps suggests a date in the fifth century, when the rhyming technique was still in its infancy. The hymn faithfully summarizes the gospel accounts of the Resurrection.

Lauds

Auróra lucis rútilat, (1)

cælum resúltat láudibus,

mundus exsúltans iúbilat,

gemens inférnus úlulat,

Cum rex ille fortíssimus, (2)

mortis confráctis víribus,

pede concúlcans tártara

solvit caténa míseros.

Ille, quem clausum lápide (3)

miles custódit ácriter,

triúmphans pompa nóbili

victor surgit de fúnere.

Inférni iam gemítibus (4)

solútis et dolóribus,

quia surréxit Dóminus

respléndens clamat ángelus.

Esto perénne méntibus

paschále, Iesu, gáudium,

et nos renátos grátiæ

tuis triúmphis ággrega.

Iesu, tibi sit glória,

qui morte victa prænites,

cum Patre et almo Spíritu,

in sempitérna sæcula. Amen.

 1. Byrnes: "The dawn of day is shining, the heaven resounds with praises, the exulting world rejoices, groaning hell is weeping"; Aurora, Reference to daybreak is unusual in a hymn for Matins. Probably the hymn was originally intended as a hymn for Lauds, and is so used in the Roman rite. With different sentiments, the dawn of Easter is greeted. Heaven rejoices in the triumph of its King. earth in the triumph of its Savior. hell admits the triumph of its Conqueror, "Let the heavens rejoice and let the earth be glad" (Ps. 95: 11). Lucis, day; 2.  "When He, the mighty King. after breaking the powers of death, releases the unhappy ones from their punishment, trampling underfoot the infernal regions." Rex, "I am appointed King" (Ps. 2:6); . Mortis, etc. Ancient Christian art pictures Christ's descent into Limbo as that of a conqueror coming to take over by force a fortress that long held out against him. "Death is swallowed up in victory" (I Cor. 15:54). Miseros, i.e., the souls detained in Limbo. "Thou hast led captivity captive" (Ps. 67: 19). 3. "He who, enclosed by the stone, is guarded by the soldier, rises with noble pomp from the grave, a triumphant victor." Custodit. "And they departing, made the sepulcher sure, seal- ing the stone and setting guards" (Matt. 27:66). Pompa nobiliis, a Christian use of a pagan phrase. The return to Rome of a victorious general was celebrated with a parade in which were displayed the captives of the conquered region. Christ, returning from His victory over the grave, brings with Him the souls of Limbo. 4. The Dominican text has solutis iam gemitibus/et inferni doloribus; "The groans and sorrows of hell having now been loosed, the resplendent angel announces that the Lord is risen." Solutis, "Whom God raised up, having loosed the sorrows of hell" (Acts 2:24), i.e., Christ had overcome the grievous pains of death and all the power of hell. Angelus. "An angel of the Lord descended from heaven ... his countenance as the lightning ... and said to the women: He is risen" (Matt. 28:2-6). The angel of the Resurrection was probably Gabriel (Cornelius a Lapide); The fifth verse and doxology are probably new.

The dawn of light glows red, heaven resounds with praise, the world exults with a loud shout, hell groans and mourns. When the most mighty king, the powers of death broken, crushing  Hell under his feet, he freed the wretched from their chains. He, who was enclosed by a rock, the soldiers closely guarded him, triumphant in noble procession, a victor rose from the dead. When the groans and sorrows of death had been loosened, the resplendent angel cries, “ the Lord is risen.” Be, O Jesus to our souls forever our paschal joy, gather those reborn by grace to your victory. O Jesus, to you be glory, shining by your victory over death, with the Father and loving Spirit,  in eternal ages. Amen.

Tempus Paschale: Ad Officium lectionis : Ambrosius? : ad libitum in feriis post octavam: notanda

Walpole: The great antiquity of this hymn is proved by the mention of it in the Rule of Caesarius ad virgines, whose direction-is quem  hymnum totum pascha et ad matutinos et ad uesperam psallere debetis. The Rule of Aurelian is to the same effect, except that for ad uesperam he writes ad lucernarium. The sense of Easter must not be unduly restricted. The present hymn is as much on the Passion as on the Resurrection. In early times the Passion, the Death, and the Resurrection of Christ were regarded as one great celebration. Easter was the chief season for Baptism, and the thought of this underlies the hymn, especially the first two stanzas. Walpole seems to accept Ambrose as the author of this hymn.

Hic est dies verus Dei,

sancto serénus lúmine, (1)

quo díluit sanguis sacer

probrósa mundi crímina.

Fidem refúndit pérditis (2)

cæcósque visu illúminat; (3)

quem non gravi solvit metu

latrónis absolútio?

Opus stupent et ángeli,

pœnam vidéntes córporis (4)

Christóque adhæréntem reum (5)

vitam beátam cárpere.

Mystérium mirábile, (6)

ut ábluat mundi luem,

peccáta tollat ómnium

carnis vitia mundans caro, (7)

Quid hoc potest sublímius, (8)

ut culpa quærat grátiam, (9)

metúmque solvat cáritas

reddátque mors vitam novam? (10)

Esto perénne méntibus

paschále, Iesu, gáudium,

et nos renátos grátiæ

tuis triúmphis ággrega.

Iesu, tibi sit glória,

qui morte victa prænites,

cum Patre et almo Spíritu,

in sempitérna sæcula. Amen.

 1.   W: Sancto lumine: the light of Christ, to which might be added, particularly the paschal candle; Serenus: from the same root as sol, hence here, ‘bright’; 2. W reads fidem refundens perditis/ caecosque uisu inluminans;  perditis 'to the lost'; 3. Illúminat: The enlightenment is partly, but not wholly, that of Baptism;  4.  pœnam vidéntes córporis: 'the bodily sufferings ' might be those of the robber, but W. thinks it more probable that it refers to the sufferings of Christ ‘amidst which He was able to do such miracles of grace’;  5. Christo adhaerentem is a biblical phrase, cf. Deut. iv. 4,  Jos. xxiii. 8, Ps. Ixxii. (Ixxiii.) 28;  6. 'O wondrous mystery that flesh should....';  7.  carnis vitia mundans caro: The use of * the flesh ' personified is common in the N.T., especially in St Paul's epistles, e.g.

Rom. iii. 20; 8. ' What can be grander than this, that guilt should win grace ?;  9. Quaerat:  'win'; 10. mors vitam: thus standing together form an oxymoron. The pointed contrast of life and death is common in hymns of all ages;

This is the true day of God, peaceful with holy light, when  his sacred blood washed away the shameful sins of the world. It restored faith to the lost, enlightened the blind with sight; whom has the absolution of the thief not delivered from the burden of fear?  Angels are astonished at this work, when they see the punishment of his body and the guilty thief clinging to Christ and seizing  the life of the blessed. O wondrous mystery! That washes away the pestilence of the world, takes away the sin of all,  cleanses the vices of the flesh by flesh. What is more sublime than this,  that sin should seek out grace, and love dissolve fear, and death give again new life? Be, O Jesus to our souls forever our paschal joy, gather those reborn by grace to your victory. O Jesus, to you be glory, shining by your victory over death, with the Father and loving Spirit, in eternal ages. Amen

Tempus Paschale: Ad Tertiam: Ambrosius: notanda

Walpole: Augustine definitely says that Ambrose wrote this hymn ; see de Natura et Gratia 63 quem Spiritum memoratus episcopus etiam precibus impetrandum admonet, ubi in hymno dicit : notisque praestat sedulis sanctum mereri Spiritum. Even without his authority we might know from the style and from the treatment of the subject- matter that it came from Ambrose.  Caesarius of Arles, in his Regula ad virgines, and Aurelian both appoint it to be sung in primo die paschae ad tertiam, the latter adding cotidianis . . .diebus (i.e. on week days as opposed to Sundays and festivals) ad tertiam sex psalmos dicite^antiphonam, ymnum lamsurgit hora tertia.

Iam surgit hora tértia, (1)

qua Christus ascéndit crucem;

nil ínsolens mens cógitet, (2)

inténdat afféctum precis. (3)

Qui corde Christum súscipit, (4)

innóxium sensum gerit

votísque præstat sédulis

Sanctum meréri Spíritum. (5)

Hæc hora, quæ finem dedit (6)

diri vetérno críminis;

hinc iam beáta témpora

cœpére Christi grátia.

Iesu, tibi sit glória,

qui morte victa prænites,

cum Patre et almo Spíritu,

in sempitérna sæcula. Amen.

 1.   surgit is used of time; 2. nil insolens:  'no proud thought’;  the hour of Christ's humiliation is no season for this. 3. inténdat afféctum:  appears to mean' the mind to pray '; intendere:  to apply oneself to it, to give all one's attention to it;  4.  This we are invited to do by a reminder of what happen toke place at the third hour. 5. meréri: 'win,' ' obtain' ; Augustine quotes these lines to shew that Ambrose held the belief that men can do nothing without the grace of God. Clearly he had no idea that mereri could be used against him in the sense of ' to merit'; 6. Walpole does not include this verse but Walsh and Husch have it: finem… críminis: the people before Christ , defaced by original sin, are now cleansed; Walsh and Husch read for the last two lines of this stanza: mortisque regnum diruit/ culpamque ab aevo sustulit;

Now rises the third hour, when Christ ascends the cross; let the mind think no haughty thoughts, but be intent on the love of prayer. He who receives Christ in his heart carries no harmful feelings, but with watchful prayers merits the Holy Spirit.  This is the hour which put to an end the old grievous sins; now is the blessed season, when the grace of Christ begins. O Jesus, to you be glory, shining by your victory over death, with the Father and loving Spirit, in eternal ages. Amen

Ad Sextam: saec. V-VI

Veníte, servi, súpplices,

et mente et ore extóllite

dignis beátum láudibus

nomen Dei cum cántico.

Hoc namque tempus illud est,

quo sæculórum iúdicem

iniústa morti trádidit

mortálium senténtia.

Et nos amóre débito,

timóre iusto súbditi,

advérsus omnes ímpetus

quos sævus hostis íncutit,

Unum rogémus et Patrem

Deum regémque Fílium

simúlque Sanctum Spíritum,

in Trinitáte Dóminum. Amen.

Come, O you servants, with mind and voice, with worthy praises, with a hymn lift up the blessed name of God.  For this is that season, when an unjust sentence of mortal men handed over the Judge of the world to death.  And we subjected  with  due love and the homage of a just fear, oppose every attack with which the cruel enemy strikes us.  We pray the one Father God, and the royal Son, likewise the Holy Spirit, the Lord in Trinity. Amen.

Ad Nonam: saec. V-VI

Hæc hora, quæ resplénduit

crucísque solvit núbila,

mundum tenébris éxuens,

reddens seréna lúmina.

Hæc hora, qua resúscitans

Iesus sepúlcris córpora,

prodíre mortis líbera

iussit refúso spíritu.

Nováta sæcla crédimus

mortis solútis légibus,

vitæ beátæ múnera

cursum perénnem cúrrere.

Iesu, tibi sit glória,

qui morte victa prænites,

cum Patre et almo Spíritu,

in sempitérna sæcula. Amen.

This hour shines forth and dissolves the black clouds of the cross, rescues the world from darkness and returns the light of peace.  This the hour when Jesus raises the bodies from the tombs and commands that they come forth free of death and infused again with breath.  We believe in a new world, loosened from the laws of death, the gifts of blessed life running an eternal course.  O Jesus, to you be glory, shining by your victory over death, with the Father and loving Spirit, in eternal ages. Amen.

Tempus Paschale: Ad Vesperas: Nicetas de Remesiana? saec. V

Ad cenam Agni próvidi, (1)

stolis salútis cándidi,

post tránsitum maris Rubri

Christo canámus príncipi.

Cuius corpus sanctíssimum (2)

in ara crucis tórridum,

sed et cruórem róseum

gustándo, Deo vívimus.

Protécti paschæ véspero (3)

a devastánte ángelo,

de Pharaónis áspero

sumus erépti império.

Iam pascha nostrum Christus est, (4)

agnus occísus ínnocens;

sinceritátis ázyma

qui carnem suam óbtulit.

O vera, digna hóstia, (5)

per quam frangúntur tártara,

captíva plebs redímitur,

reddúntur vitæ præmia!

Consúrgit Christus túmulo, (6)

victor redit de bárathro,

tyránnum trudens vínculo

et paradísum réserans.

Esto perénne méntibus

paschále, Iesu, gáudium

et nos renátos grátiæ

tuis triúmphis ággrega.

Iesu, tibi sit glória,

qui morte victa prænites,

cum Patre et almo Spíritu,

in sempitérna sæcula. Amen.

NB: Fr Byrnes’s text differs slightly from the modern text.

1.  Byrnes: "At the supper of the Lamb, prepared and clothed in white robes after the passage of the Red Sea, let us sing to  Christ the King." This hymn makes reference to the ancient custom of admitting the catechumens (i.e., the unbaptized converts) to the sacraments of baptism and Holy Eucharist. Baptism was conferred on Holy Saturday, and Holy Communion was received for the first time at Mass on Easter morning. The hymn is best interpreted in the mouths of the neophytes, i.e., the newly baptized. Ad can am, etc. The ad has the sense of apud. The cena Agni is the Eucharistic table. "The Lamb" frequently stands for "Christ." Here it is used in comparing our Lord with the paschal lamb of the Old Testament, which was a figure of the Eucharist. The adjective providi is nominative plural agreeing with nos understood, the subject of canamus. The sense of the line is that the neophytes are prepared (providi) by baptism or the Holy Eucharist.  Stolis albis, ete. After baptism the neophytes were clothed in white robes, or stoles. Originally these robes were long, flowing garments and were worn by the neophytes at services from Holy Saturday till the following Saturday or Sunday. Hence, in liturgical language, Low Sunday is called Dominica in albis (depositis), the Sunday on which the neophytes appeared for the first time at service without their baptismal robes. In our present ritual, the substitute for the baptismal robe is the small white cloth which the priest places on the head of the baptized shortly after the pouring of the water. Post lransitum, etc. The Red Sea was a figure of baptism. "All in Moses were baptized, in the cloud, and in the sea" (I Cor.

10:2). The Israelites. under the guidance of Moses (himself a figure of Christ). received baptism in figure by their passage through the Red Sea (Exod. 14:21-31). Hence the sense of this line is simply: "having been baptized." Christo canamus, etc. After their miraculous passage through the Red Sea, the Israelites sang what is now called the Canticle of Moses (Exod. 15: 1-19), in gratitude for God's goodness. Likewise the neophytes, after their baptism. would sing their thanks to Christ their Redeemer, "who hath delivered us from the power of darkness" (Col. 1:13).

2. "His most holy body (was) offered on the altar of the Cross; by tasting of His roseate blood we live unto God." Cujus for ejus, a medieval usage. Torridum (est) (literally, burned, scorched). offered in sacrifice. The word may have been chosen deliberately because the paschal lamb, the figure of Christ. was by precept to be "roasted at the fire" (Exod. 12:9). Cruore roseo, etc. Reference to Holy Communion which the neophytes were to receive for the first time. Neale has an interesting note on the use of roseo. "The poet would tell us that, though one drop of our Lord's Blood was sufficient to redeem the world, out of the greatness of His love He would shed all. As everyone knows. the last drainings of life-blood are not crimson but roseate" Vivimus, "He that eateth My flesh and drinketh My blood, abideth in Me and I in him" (John 6:57).

3. "They were protected on the eve of the Pasch from the destroying angel; they were delivered from the cruel yoke of Pharaoh." Reference again is to the Israelites of old. They were protected on the eve of the Pasch (i.e., Passover) from death at the hands of the destroying angel by the blood of the paschal lamb sprinkled on their door-posts (Exod., chap. 12). Also they were delivered from the bondage of the Egyptian King (Exod., chap. 14). The poet would imply (d. next stanza) that what was done for the Israelites in a figurative and temporal way. is now done for the neophytes in a real and eternal way by Christ. The blood of the paschal lamb was a shadow of the precious blood. by the merits of which we are saved from eternal death and freed from the eternal yoke of Satan.

4. "Now our Pasch is Christ. who is the immolated Lamb; His flesh is offered as the unleavened bread of sincerity." Pascha. "For Christ our Pasch is sacrificed" (1 Cor. 5:7). Agnus. "The Lamb that was slain" (Apoc. 5: 12). Azyma. Part of the ceremonial of the Jewish Passover prescribed the eating of only unleavened bread. Ordinarily this expression is taken to symbolize sincerity. truth, moral integrity. "Let us feast ... with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth" (1 Cor. 5:8). In this hymn. however. it seems to symbolize the reality of the flesh of Christ. "The true bread from heaven" (John 6:32).

5. "0 truly worthy Host, by whom hell was broken, a captive people freed, and the rewards of life restored." Hostia. "Christ ... hath loved us and hath delivered Himself for us, an oblation and sacrifice (hostiam) to God for an odor of sweetness" (Eph. 5:2). Tortora, the power acquired by Satan over the human race through Adam's fall was broken by Christ. Plebs, all mankind. "By whom a man is over-

come, of the same also is he made the slave" (2 Pet. 2: 10). Vitae, heaven, opened again by Christ, whose redemption blotted out "the handwriting of the decree that was against us" (Col. 2: 14).

6. "Christ rises from the tomb. He returns a victor from hell, thrusting the tyrant into chains, and opening paradise." Victor. "Thanks be to God, who hath given us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" (I Cor. 15:57). Barathro, i.e., inferno, hell. Paradisium. "And the Lord sent him (Adam) out

of the paradise of pleasure" (Gen. 3:23). Closed against us by the sin of the first Adam. heaven is reopened to us by the redemption of the second Adam (d. I Cor. 15:22).

  

Looking forward to the banquet of the Lamb, vested in white robes of salvation, after the crossing of the Red Sea, we sing to Christ the King. Whose most holy body tortured on the altar of the cross, but by tasting his rosy blood we live to God.  On Easter eve we are protected from the devastating angel, rescued from the harsh rule of Pharaoh. Now Christ our Passover, the innocent Lamb is slain, his flesh, the unleavened bread of sincerity, offers up his own flesh. O true and worthy sacrifice, by whom the powers of hell are broken, the captive people redeemed, the rewards of life are given.  Christ rises from the tomb, the Victor returns from hell,  thrusting the tyrant into chains, opening paradise. Be, O Jesus to our souls forever our paschal joy, gather those reborn by grace to your victory.