Ad regias Agni dapes
Hymn at Vespers - Easter Season
About This Prayer
Ad regias Agni dapes, the Vespers hymn for Eastertide, celebrates the Paschal Lamb's royal banquet. The hymn draws on Exodus imagery of the Passover lamb and the crossing of the Red Sea as types of Baptism and the Eucharist. The faithful are portrayed as guests at the wedding feast, clothed in white robes washed in the Blood of the Lamb (cf. Apocalypse 7:14).
Prayer Text
LATINE
Ad regias Agni dapes,
Stolis amicti candidis,
Post transitum Maris Rubri,
Christo canamus Principi:
Stolis amicti candidis,
Post transitum Maris Rubri,
Christo canamus Principi:
Divina cujus caritas
Sacrum propinat sanguinem,
Almique membra corporis
Amor sacerdos immolat.
Sacrum propinat sanguinem,
Almique membra corporis
Amor sacerdos immolat.
Sparsum cruorem postibus
Vastator horret Angelus:
Fugitque divisum mare;
Merguntur hostes fluctibus.
Vastator horret Angelus:
Fugitque divisum mare;
Merguntur hostes fluctibus.
Jam Pascha nostrum Christus est,
Paschalis idem victima,
Et pura puris mentibus
Sinceritatis azyma.
Paschalis idem victima,
Et pura puris mentibus
Sinceritatis azyma.
O vera caeli victima,
Subjecta cui sunt tartara.
Soluta mortis vincula,
Recepta vitae praemia.
Subjecta cui sunt tartara.
Soluta mortis vincula,
Recepta vitae praemia.
Victor, subactis inferis,
Trophaea Christus explicat;
Caeloque aperto, subditum
Regem tenebrarum trahit.
Trophaea Christus explicat;
Caeloque aperto, subditum
Regem tenebrarum trahit.
Ut sis perenne mentibus
Paschale, Jesu, gaudium,
A morte dira criminum
Vitae renatos libera.
Paschale, Jesu, gaudium,
A morte dira criminum
Vitae renatos libera.
Deo Patri sit gloria,
Et Filio, qui a mortuis
Surrexit, ac Paraclito,
In sempiterna saecula. Amen.
Et Filio, qui a mortuis
Surrexit, ac Paraclito,
In sempiterna saecula. Amen.
ENGLISH
Now at the Lamb's high royal feast
In robes of saintly white we sing,
Through the Red Sea in safety brought
By Jesus our immortal King.
In robes of saintly white we sing,
Through the Red Sea in safety brought
By Jesus our immortal King.
O depth of love! for us He drains
The chalice of his agony;
For us a Victim on the Cross
He meekly lays Him down to die.
The chalice of his agony;
For us a Victim on the Cross
He meekly lays Him down to die.
And as the avenging Angel pass'd
Of old the blood-besprinkled door;
As the cleft sea a passage gave,
Then closed to whelm th' Egyptians o'er:
Of old the blood-besprinkled door;
As the cleft sea a passage gave,
Then closed to whelm th' Egyptians o'er:
So Christ, our Paschal Sacrifice,
Has brought us safe all perils through;
While for unleaven'd bread He asks
But heart sincere and purpose true.
Has brought us safe all perils through;
While for unleaven'd bread He asks
But heart sincere and purpose true.
Hail, purest Victim Heav'n could find,
Powers of hell to overthrow!
Who didst the bonds of Death unbind;
Who dost the prize of Life bestow.
Powers of hell to overthrow!
Who didst the bonds of Death unbind;
Who dost the prize of Life bestow.
Hail, victor Christ! hail risen King!
To Thee alone belongs the crown;
Who hast the heavenly gates unbarr'd,
And cast the Prince of darkness down.
To Thee alone belongs the crown;
Who hast the heavenly gates unbarr'd,
And cast the Prince of darkness down.
O Jesu! from the death of sin
Keep us, we pray; so shalt Thou be
The everlasting Paschal joy
Of all the souls new-born in Thee.
Keep us, we pray; so shalt Thou be
The everlasting Paschal joy
Of all the souls new-born in Thee.
To God the Father, with the Son
Who from the grave immortal rose,
And Thee, O Paraclete, be praise,
While age on endless ages flows. Amen.
Who from the grave immortal rose,
And Thee, O Paraclete, be praise,
While age on endless ages flows. Amen.
Liturgical Notes
NOTA
FONS
Breviarium Romanum (1962)
USUS
Hymn at Vespers - Easter Season
HORA
Vespers
TEMPVS
paschal
GENVS
Hymn