Hymnus Eucharisticus for May Morning

This is sung on May morning by the Magdalen College choir, at 6am, from the top of the college tower. The tradition of greeting May morning with singing from the tower goes back many centuries, though these words appear to be from the 1660s. The music is composed by Benjamin Rogers, "Doctor of Musique of the University of Oxon, 1685." It is also sung at the College at other major festivals.

There is a recording of this event on Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGblb2Pn7zw


Te Deum Patrem colimus,
Te laudibus prosequimur,
qui corpus cibo reficis,
coelesti mentem gratia.

Te adoramus, O Jesu,
Te, Fili unigenite,
Te, qui non dedignatus es
subire claustra Virginis.

Actus in crucem, factus est
irato Deo victima
per te, Salvator unice
vitae spes nobis rediit.

Tibi, aeterne Spiritus
cuius afflatu peperit
infantem Deum Maria,
aeternum benedicimus.

Triune Deus, hominum
salutis auctor optime,
immensum hoc mysterium
orante lingua canimus.

Translation by Dean Burgon:

O Thee, O GOD the FATHER--Thee,
All worship, praise, and glory be!
Thy hand bestows our daily bread,
And that wherewith our souls are fed.

To Thee, O JESU--Thee, the SON--
To Thee, alone-begotten One,
Who for our sakes didst not abhor
The Virgin's womb--our hearts we pour.

When Thou upon Thy Cross wast laid,
To GOD a willing offering made,
The hope of life first dawned below--
Our joy, our only Saviour, Thou!

To Thee, O HOLY GHOST--by whom
The Babe was born of Mary's womb,
Both GOD and Man--to Thee we raise
The hymn of everlasting praise.

O THREE IN ONE, Who didst devise
Such pathway back to Paradise;
This mystery of Love be sung
In every age by every tongue!

For more information, see: http://anglicanhistory.org/england/jwburgon/may_morning.html