Videntes stellam magi

General information

A Responsory at Matins of Epiphany. The Liber usualis has a shorter Magnificat antiphon for the Octave of Epiphany, identical (except for the Gloria Patri) with the Ambrosian chant.

it is related to another Responsory, Stella quam viderant.

Settings by composers

• Ambrosian chant see work page for variant
• Mark Chapman (one of a cycle of 3 motets) SATB, based on the Ambrosian chant
• Andrea Gabrieli SATT (without verse)
• Orlando di Lasso SSATB (without verse)
• Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina SSAATTBB or AATTTTBB (without verse)
• Christopher Upton SATB (plainchant supplied for verse)

Text and translations

Latin text Videntes stellam magi gavisi sunt gaudio magno: et intrantes domum, invenerunt puerum, cum Maria, matre eius, et procidentes adoraverunt eum. Et apertis thesauris suis, obtulerunt ei munera: aurum, thus et myrrham. Versus: Stella quam víderant Magi in Oriénte, antecedébat eos, usque dum véniens staret supra ubi erat puer. et intrantes… Gloria Patri et Filio et Spiritui Sancto. Sicut erat in principio, et nunc et semper et in saecula saeculorum. Amen.

English translation Seeing the star, the magi rejoiced with great joy; and entering the house, they found the boy, with Mary, His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And having opened their treasures, they offered Him gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. The star which the Wise Men saw in the East went before them until it came to where the Child was. Glory be to the Father and Son and Holy Ghost, As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, World without end. Amen.