The Older Hymns for the feast of the Holy Trinity

O Lux Beata Trinitas (O Trinity of Blessed Light) is a 4th century Latin hymn attributed to St. Ambrose of Milan (340-397). It was revised under Pope Urban VIII (1568-1644) as “Iam Sol Recedit Igneous”, which is used in the Roman Breviary for Saturday Vespers and on Trinity Sunday.

The older breviaries, Roman and Monastic, arranged the hymns in such a way that they had three stanzas, dropping stanzas, where necessary.  This was probably too much for Dom Anselmo and besides he had to get his own hymns into the Liturgica Horarum. I prefer the older practice.

Matins:

Summæ Deus clementiæ

Mundique factor machinæ,

Unus potentialiter

Trinusque personaliter,

Da dexteram surgentibus,

Exsurgat ut mens sobria,

Flagrans et laudem Dei

Grates rependat debitas.

Gloria Patri domino,

Gloria Unigenito,

Una Cum sancto Spiritu

In sempiterna sæcula. Amen.

O Trinity of blessed light,

O Unity of princely might,

The fiery sun now goes his way:

Shed Thou within our hearts Thy ray.

To Thee our morning song of praise,

To Thee our ev’ning pray’r we raise:

Thy glory suppliant we adore,

Forever and fore evermore.

All laud to God the Father be,

All praise, eternal Son, to Thee,

All glory, as is ever meet,

To God the holy Paraclete. Amen.

Lauds:

Tu, Trinitatis Unitas,

Orbem potenter qui regis,

Attende laudum cantica,

Quæ excubantes psallimus.

Ortus refulget lucifer,

Sparsamque lucem nuntiat:

Cadit caligo noctium:

Lux sancta nos illuminet.

Deo Patri sit gloria,

Eiusque soli Filio,

Cum Spiritu paraclito,

Et nunc et in perpetuum. Amen.

THOU Trinity in Unity

Who rulest all things mightily,

Bow down to hear the songs of praise

Which we, thy wakeful servants, raise.

The day-star's rays are glittering clear,

And tell that day itself is near;

The shadows of the night depart:

Thou, holy Light, illume the heart.

All laud to God the Father be,

All praise, eternal Son, to Thee,

All glory, as is ever meet,

To God the holy Paraclete. Amen.

Vespers I & II:

O Lux beata Trinitas

Et principalis Unitas,

Iam sol recedit igneus:

Infunde lumen cordibus.

Te mane laudum carmine,

Te deprecemur vespere;

Te nostra supplex gloria

Per cuncta laudet sæcula.

Deo Patri sit gloria,

Eiusque soli Filio,

Cum Spiritu Paraclito,

Et nunc, et in perpetuum. Amen.

O TRINITY of blessed Light,

O Unity of sovereign might,

as now the fiery sun departs,

shed Thou Thy beams within our hearts.

To Thee our morning song of praise,

to Thee our evening prayer we raise;

Thee may our glory evermore

in lowly reverence adore.

All laud to God the Father be,

All praise, eternal Son, to Thee,

All glory, as is ever meet,

To God the holy Paraclete. Amen.