Saturday, July 24, 2010

Ave Stella Matutina

To-day being a free Saturday (but for memorial of St Christina, Virgin & Martyr, at Lauds), the Office is of Our Lady; and that means that the Benedictus antiphon is the beautiful Ave stella matutina:


Ave stella matutina,                      Hail, morning star,
peccatorum medicina,                  remedy of sinners,
mundi princeps et regina,             ruler and queen of the world,
sola virgo digna dici,                    alone worthy to be called a virgin,
contra tela inimici                         against the spears of the enemy
clipeum pone salutis,                    interpose the shield of salvation,
tuae titulum virtutis.                      the sign of thy virtue.
O sponsa Dei electa,                    O chosen bride of God,
esto nobis via recta                       be for us a straight road
ad aeterna gaudia                         to eternal joys.

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