A solis ortus cardine

General information

This famous hymn was written by Caelius Sedulius (d. circa 450) with its stanzas starting with each subsequent letter of the Latin alphabet, 23 in total; a device known as abecedarius or acrostichon. Sedulius called his poem Paean Alphabeticus de Christo.

Two parts from it entered Catholic liturgy:

• A solis ortus cardine, used for Lauds during the Christmas season, consisting of stanzas 1-7, followed by a new closing stanza (a doxology);
• Hostis Herodes impie, the Vesper hymn for Epiphany, consisting of stanzas 8, 9, 11 and 13, once again followed by a doxology.

Hence, settings of A solus ortus cardine are usually of this 8-stanza form, or some of its stanzas.

In this form, it was translated by Luther and published in his first collection of hymns (1524) as Christum wir sollen loben schon.

Settings by composers

Gregorian chant Anonymous 14c, Trent 88 STT or STTT Gilles Binchois (3 vv) (single verse) Gilles Binchois (SATB) (single verse) Adrien Petit Coclico (STTT, v. 1 only) Sixt Dietrich SATB (vv. 1, 3) Innario RPS (Carlotta Ferrari) (a suite of several hymns, including an SATB setting of verse 1)) Domus pudici pectoris (Heinrich Finck) a 4, verse 4 Nicolaus Kropstein SSATB (v. 2)

Jacob Meiland SATB (v. 2) William Mundy SAT[T]B even verses, tenor editorially reconstructed José Maurício Nunes Garcia (SATB, org., even verses) Charles H. Giffen, SATB with descant, in English (J.M. Neale) Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (odd vv. for SATB) Balthasar Resinarius SATB in alternatim Johann Hermann Schein SATB John Sheppard SSAATTBB A solis ortus cardine (Thomas Stoltzer) (even) SATB

Other settings possibly not included in the manual list above

• Anonymous — A solis ortus
• Thomas Stoltzer — Beatus auctor seculi

Text and translations

Latin text A solis ortus cardine Ad usque terrae limitem Christum canamus Principem, Natum Maria Virgine. Beatus auctor saeculi Servile corpus induit, Ut carne carnem liberans Non perderet quod condidit. Clausae1 parentis viscera Caelestis intrat gratia; Venter puellae baiulat Secreta quae non noverat. Domus pudici pectoris Templum repente fit Dei; Intacta nesciens virum Verbo concepit Filium.2 Enixa3 est puerpera Quem Gabriel praedixerat, Quem matris alvo gestiens4 Clausus Ioannes senserat.5 Foeno iacere pertulit, Praesepe non abhorruit, Parvoque lacte pastus est6 Per quem nec ales esurit. Gaudet chorus caelestium Et Angeli canunt Deum, Palamque fit pastoribus Pastor, Creator omnium. Iesu, tibi sit gloria, Qui natus es de Virgine, Cum Patre et almo Spiritu, In sempiterna saecula. Amen.

English translation From the rising of the sun to the ends of the earth, let us sing of Christ the Prince, born of the Virgin Mary. The blessed creator of the world put on a servant’s body, so that, liberating the flesh through taking flesh, he would not lose what he had made. The virgin mother's belly is filled with heavenly grace; the girl’s womb carries secrets which she has not known. The modest dwelling of her body becomes God’s new temple; untouched, not knowing a man, at a word she conceived the Son in her womb. By her birth pangs she brought forth the one whom Gabriel had foretold, and whom the Baptist, leaping within the womb, had recognised as Lord. He consented to lie in the hay; he did not shrink from the manger; and with little milk he was fed, who does not allow even the birds to hunger. The heavenly chorus rejoices, and the angels sing God's praise, and to the shepherds is now made known the Shepherd who is the creator of all. Jesus, to you be glory, who are born of a virgin, with the Father and the loving Spirit, for eternal ages. Amen. Translation by Mick Swithinbank with thanks to Jamie Reid Baxter for much help

English translation From lands that see the sun arise, To earth’s remotest boundaries, The virgin born today we sing, The Son of Mary, Christ the King. Blest Author of this earthly frame, To take a servant’s form He came, That liberating flesh by flesh, Whom He had made might live afresh. In that chaste parent’s holy womb, Celestial grace hath found its home: And she, as earthly bride unknown, Yet call that Offspring blest her own. The mansion of the modest breast Becomes a shrine where God shall rest: The pure and undefiled one Conceived in her womb the Son. That Son, that royal Son she bore, Whom Gabriel’s voice had told afore: Whom, in his Mother yet concealed, The Infant Baptist had revealed. The manger and the straw He bore, The cradle did He not abhor: A little milk His infant fare Who feedeth even each fowl of air. The heavenly chorus filled the sky, The angels sang to God on high, What time to shepherds watching lone They made creation’s Shepherd known. All honor, laud, and glory be, O Jesu, virgin born, to Thee; All glory, as is ever meet, To the Father and to Paraclete. Translation by John Mason Neale

Changes by Pope Urban VIII in 1632 to the Roman Breviary (some incorporated by Palestrina):

¹ Castae

² Enititur (not in Palestrina)

³ Concepit alvo Filium.

⁴ Quem ventre Matris gestiens, (not in Palestrina)

⁵ baptismata clausum senserat (not in Palestrina)

⁶ Et lacte modicus pastus est

Hungarian translation Naptámadat mesgyéitől A föld végső határaig Krisztust daloljuk, a Királyt, Szűz Máriának egy Fiát. A boldog Úr, az Alkotó, Magára szolgatestet ölt: A húst a hús hadd mentse meg, S ne vesszen el, kit alkotott. A Szűzanyának belsején Megszáll az égi kegyelem. Hord a Leány szíve alatt Soha nem ismert titkokat. Szemérmes szíve hajloka Immár az Isten temploma. Ki sosem ismert férfiút, Angyal-igén fogant fiút. A Szűz megszülte Gyermekét, Kit Gábor angyal megígért, Kit János érzett boldogan Már anyja méhe rejtekén. Hitvány jászolba fektetik, Szénától sem húzódozik, Ki a madárnak enni ád: Egy csöppnyi tejjel jóllakik. Újjong az égiek kara, Ünneplik zengő angyalok, S a pásztoroknak felragyog A mindeneknek Pásztora.

Dutch translation Vanwaar de zon opgaat tot aan het einde van de aarde laten wij zingen voor Christus, onze vorst die geboren is uit de maagd Maria.

German translation See Christum wir sollen loben schon.

External links

• A solis ortus cardine (Wikipedia) contains the full text of the 23 stanzas with an English translation;
• The Manuscripts of Sedulius: A Provisional Handlist, by Carl P. E. Springer (Transactions of the American Philosophical Society, volume 85 part 5), mentions the hymn's history and lists manuscripts in which it appears.