Vigilia Paschalis - Praeconium Paschale
03 April, 2021
Praeconium paschale
Exsúltet jam angélica turba cælórum:
Exult, let them exult, the hosts of heaven
exsúltent divína mystéria:
exult, let Angel ministers of God exult,
et pro tanti Regis victória
let the trumpet of salvation
tuba ínsonet salutáris.
sound aloud our mighty King's triumph!
Gáudeat et tellus tantis irradiáta fulgóribus:
Be glad, let earth be glad, as glory floods her,
et, ætérni Regis splendóre illustráta,
ablaze with light from her eternal King,
totíus orbis se séntiat
let all corners of the earth be glad,
amisísse calíginem.
knowing an end to gloom and darkness.
Lætétur et mater Ecclésia, tanti lúminis adornáta fulgóribus:
Rejoice, let Mother Church also rejoice, arrayed with the lightning of his glory,
et magnis populórum vócibus
let this holy building shake with joy,
hæc aula resúltet.
filled with the mighty voices of the peoples.
Sursum corda.
The Lord be with you.
Habémus ad Dóminum.
And with your spirit.
Grátias agámus Dómino Deo nostro.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
Dignum et justum est.
It is right and just.
Vere dignum et justum est,
It is truly right and just,
invisíbilem Deum Patrem omnipoténtem
to acclaim our God invisible, the almighty Father,
Filiúmque ejus Unigénitum,
and Jesus Christ, our Lord,
Dóminum nostrum Jesum Christum,
his Son, his Only Begotten.
toto cordis ac mentis afféctu
With ardent love of mind and heart
et vocis ministério personáre.
and with devoted service of our voice.
Qui pro nobis ætérno Patri Adæ débitum solvit,
Who for our sake paid Adam's debt to the eternal Father,
et véteris piáculi cautiónem
and, pouring out his own dear Blood,
pio cruóre detérsit.
wiped clean the record of our ancient sinfulness.
Hæc sunt enim festa paschália,
These, then, are the feasts of Passover,
in quibus verus ille Agnus occíditur,
in which is slain the Lamb, the one true Lamb,
cujus sánguine postes fidélium consecrántur.
whose Blood anoints the doorposts of believers.
Hæc nox est,
This is the night,
in qua primum patres nostros,
when once you led our forebears,
fílios Israël edúctos de Ægýpto,
Israel's children, from slavery in Egypt
Mare Rubrum
and made them pass dry-shod
sicco vestígio transíre fecísti.
through the Red Sea.
Hæc ígitur nox est,
This is the night
quæ peccatórum ténebras
that with a pillar of fire
colúmnæ illuminatióne purgávit.
banished the darkness of sin.
Hæc nox est,
This is the night
quæ hódie per univérsum mundum in Christo credéntes,
that even now throughout the world, sets Christian believers
a vítiis sǽculi et calígine peccatórum segregátos,
apart from worldly vices and from the gloom of sin,
reddit grátiæ,
leading them to grace
sóciat sanctitáti.
and joining them to his holy ones.
Hæc nox est,
This is the night
in qua, destrúctis vínculis mortis,
when Christ broke the prison-bars of death
Christus ab ínferis victor ascéndit.
and rose victorious from the underworld.
Nihil enim nobis nasci prófuit,
Our birth would have been no gain,
nisi rédimi profuísset.
had we not been redeemed.
O mira circa nos
O wonder of your humble care for us!
tuæ pietátis dignátio!
O love, O charity beyond all telling,
O inæstimábilis diléctio caritátis:
to ransom a slave
ut servum redímeres, Fílium tradidísti!
you gave away your Son!
O certe necessárium Adæ peccátum,
O truly necessary sin of Adam,
quod Christi morte delétum est!
destroyed completely by the Death of Christ!
O felix culpa,
O happy fault
quæ talem ac tantum méruit habére Redemptórem!
that earned for us so great, so glorious a Redeemer!
O vere beáta nox,
O truly blessed night,
quæ sola méruit scire tempus et horam,
worthy alone to know the time and hour
in qua Christus ab ínferis resurréxit!
when Christ rose from the underworld!
Hæc nox est,
This is the night
de qua scriptum est:
of which it is written:
Et nox sicut dies illuminábitur:
The night shall be as bright as day,
et nox illuminátio mea in delíciis meis.
dazzling is the night for me, and full of gladness.
Hujus ígitur sanctificátio noctis fugat scélera,
The sanctifying power of this night dispels wickedness,
culpas lavat:
washes faults away,
et reddit innocéntiam lapsis et mæstis lætítiam.
restores innocence to the fallen, and joy to mourners,
Fugat ódia,
drives out hatred,
concórdiam parat et curvat impéria.
fosters concord, and brings down the mighty.
In hujus ígitur noctis grátia,
On this, your night of grace,
súscipe, sancte Pater, laudis hujus sacrifícium vespertínum,
O holy Father, accept this candle, a solemn offering,
quod tibi in hac cérei oblatióne solémni,
the work of bees and of your servants' hands,
per ministrórum manus de opéribus apum,
an evening sacrifice of praise,
sacrosáncta reddit Ecclésia.
this gift from your most holy Church.
Sed jam colúmnæ hujus præcónia nóvimus,
But now we know the praises of this pillar,
quam in honórem Dei rútilans ignis accéndit.
which glowing fire ignites for God's honour,
Qui, licet sit divísus in partes,
a fire into many flames divided,
mutuáti tamen lúminis detriménta non novit.
yet never dimmed by sharing of its light,
Alitur enim liquántibus ceris,
for it is fed by melting wax,
quas in substántiam pretiósæ hujus lámpadis
drawn out by mother bees
apis mater edúxit.
to build a torch so precious.
O vere beáta nox,
O truly blessed night,
in qua terrénis cæléstia,
when things of heaven are wed to those of earth,
humánis divína jungúntur!
and divine to the human.
Orámus ergo te, Dómine,
Therefore, O Lord, we pray you
ut céreus iste in honórem tui nóminis consecrátus,
that this candle, hallowed to the honour of your name,
ad noctis hujus calíginem destruéndam,
may persevere undimmed,
indefíciens persevéret.
to overcome the darkness of this night.
Et in odórem suavitátis accéptus,
Receive it as a pleasing fragrance,
supérnis lumináribus misceátur.
and let it mingle with the lights of heaven.
Flammas ejus
May this flame be found still burning
lúcifer matutínus invéniat:
by the Morning Star:
Ille, inquam, lúcifer, qui nescit occásum:
the one Morning Star who never sets,
Christus Fílius tuus, qui, regréssus ab ínferis,
Christ your Son, who, coming back from death's domain,
humáno géneri serénus illúxit,
has shed his peaceful light on humanity,
et vivit et regnat in sǽcula sæculórum. Amen.
and lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen.