S. TERESIÆ A IESU, VIRGINIS ET ECCLESIÆ DOCTORIS

Both of these hymns were composed by Urban VIII (1568-1644).  His pontificate is famous because of the Galileo controversy. No pope since has taken the name Urban, not because of Galileo but because he left the Papacy in deep debt. Urban  was an excellent Classical Latinist and decided that the hymns of the Breviary were in very poor Latin. He gathered a committee to do the revision, always a bad idea. Whatever else you may say about the Liturgica Horarum, they (another damned committee) did restore the original versions of the hymns of St. Ambrose and Prudentius. In any case these hymns for St. Teresa are perfectly fine and to the point. Note that Dom Anselmo got his revenge on Urban in the third stanza: Urban: Alverni, a very Virgilian word for hell; Liturgica Horarum: inferni, a perfectly pedestrian word for hell.

Ad Laudes matutinas

Regis supérni núntia
domum patérnam déseris,
terris, Terésa, bárbaris
Christum datúra aut sánguinem.

Sed te manet suávior
mors, pœna poscit dúlcior:
divíni amóris cúspide
in vulnus icta cóncides.

O caritátis víctima,
tu corda nostra cóncrema,
tibíque gentes créditas
inférni ab igne líbera.

Te, sponse, Iesu, vírginum,
beáti adórent órdines,
et nuptiáli cántico
laudent per omne sæculum. Amen.

O herald of the heavenly King, you leave your father’s house, Teresa, to give to barbarian lands Christ or your own blood. But a more tender death remains for you, a sweeter punishment is sought, by the spear of divine love, you are pierced and wounded. O victim of love, set our hearts on fire and deliver the nations entrusted to you from the fire of hell. May the blessed order of virgins worship you, O Jesus, their Bride-groom and praise you forever with a nuptial hymn. Amen.

Ad Vesperas

Hæc est dies, qua cándidæ
instar colúmbæ, cælitum
ad sacra templa spíritus
se tránstulit Terésiæ,

Sponsíque voces áudiit:
«Veni, soror, de vértice
Carméli ad Agni núptias;
veni ad corónam glóriæ».

Te, sponse, Iesu, vírginum,
beáti adórent órdines,
et nuptiáli cántico
laudent per omne sæculum. Amen.

This is the day when Teresa’s soul in the likeness of a white dove was taken to the sacred temples above; this is the day when the voice of the Bridegroom is heard: ‘come, o sister, from Carmel’s peak to the nuptials of the Lamb; come to your crown of glory.’  May the blessed order of virgins worship you, O Jesus, their Bride-groom and praise you forever with a nuptial hymn. Amen.