# Corpus Christi's own Vespers hymn ("Pange, lingua, gloriósi Córporis
# mystérium") — St. Thomas Aquinas's own Eucharistic hymn, whose final 2
# stanzas ("Tantum ergo Sacraméntum..." — sung genuflecting per the
# source's own rubric, not modeled here) are the separately-famous
# "Tantum Ergo" sung constantly at Benediction. Distinct from Matins'
# own ("Sacris solémniis") and Lauds' own ("Verbum supérnum pródiens").
# Live-verified against Divinum Officium (Monastic Tridentinum 1617),
# Vespers live query, 2026-06-04 (Corpus Christi itself). Self-contained
# — its own final stanza is the hymn's natural theological close, not a
# separate swappable doxology.
id: vespers-hymn-corpus-christi
text:
  la: >-
    Pange, lingua, gloriósi

    Córporis mystérium,

    Sanguinísque pretiósi,

    Quem in mundi prétium

    Fructus ventris generósi

    Rex effúdit géntium.


    Nobis datus, nobis natus

    Ex intácta Vírgine,

    Et in mundo conversátus,

    Sparso verbi sémine,

    Sui moras incolátus

    Miro clausit órdine.


    In suprémæ nocte cenæ

    Recúmbens cum frátribus,

    Observáta lege plene

    Cibis in legálibus,

    Cibum turbæ duodénæ

    Se dat suis mánibus.


    Verbum caro, panem verum

    Verbo carnem éfficit;

    Fitque sanguis Christi merum:

    Et si sensus déficit,

    Ad firmándum cor sincérum

    Sola fides súfficit.


    Tantum ergo Sacraméntum

    Venerémur cérnui:

    Et antíquum documéntum

    Novo cedat rítui:

    Præstet fides suppleméntum

    Sénsuum deféctui.


    Genitóri, Genitóque

    Laus et jubilátio,

    Salus, honor, virtus quoque

    Sit et benedíctio:

    Procedénti ab utróque

    Compar sit laudátio. Amen.
  en: >-
    Sing, my tongue, the Saviour's glory,

    Of his flesh the mystery sing;

    Of the blood, all price exceeding,

    Shed by our immortal King,

    Destined, for the world's redemption,

    From a noble womb to spring.


    Of a pure and spotless Virgin

    Born for us on earth below,

    He, as man, with man conversing,

    Stayed, the seeds of truth to sow;

    Then he closed in solemn order

    Wondrously his life of woe.


    On the night of that last supper

    Seated with his chosen band,

    He, the paschal victim eating,

    First fulfills the law's command:

    Then as food to all his brethren

    Gives himself with his own hand.


    Word made flesh, the bread of nature

    By his word to flesh he turns;

    Wine into his blood he changes:

    What though sense no change discerns?

    Only be the heart in earnest,

    Faith her lesson quickly learns.


    Down in adoration falling,

    Lo! the sacred Host we hail;

    Lo! o'er ancient forms departing,

    Newer rites of grace prevail;

    Faith for all defects supplying,

    Where the feeble senses fail.


    To the everlasting Father,

    And the Son who reigns on high,

    With the Holy Ghost proceeding

    Forth from each eternally,

    Be salvation, honour, blessing,

    Might, and endless majesty. Amen.
status:
  la: verified
  en: verified