Alleluia! Alleluia! He is risen from the dead! Alleluia! Alleluia!
While trying to figure out something new to write, I just can’t do it. There is nothing more to say about Easter than what is said in the Sequence for today. Here I re-print what I said a few years ago:
On Easter Sunday, I am always astounded when I hear the Sequence sung – each and every time. It absolutely amazes me how simplistic, reverent, and sublime this ancient chant is. To think that THIS is how Easter was felt and thought about in the early Church – such a sober version compared to our Easter bunny who hides decorated eggs, to all of the pink ruffles on dresses and multi-colored candy in the stores. No, the early Church did not celebrate this way. Here’s how they celebrated this ultimate Victory:
Latin
Victimae paschali laudes
Immolent Christiani.
Agnus redemit oves:
Christus innocens Patri
Reconciliavit peccatores.
Mors et vita duello
Conflixere mirando:
Dux vitae mortuus,
Regnat vivus.
Dic nobis Maria,
Quid vidisti in via?
Sepulcrum Christi viventis,
Et gloriam vidi resurgentis:
Angelicos testes,
sudarium, et vestes.
Surrexit Christus spes mea:
Praecedet suos in Galilaeam.
Scimus Christum surrexisse
A mortuis vere:
Tu nobis, victor Rex, miserere.
Amen.
English (ICEL version)
Christians, to the Paschal Victim
offer sacrifice and praise.
The sheep are ransomed by the Lamb;
and Christ, the undefiled,
hath sinners to his Father reconciled.
Death with life contended: combat strangely ended!
Life's own Champion, slain, yet lives to reign.
Tell us, Mary: say
what thou didst see upon the way.
The tomb the Living did enclose;
I saw Christ's glory as He rose!
The angels there attesting;
shroud with grave-clothes resting.
Christ, my hope, has risen:
He goes before you into Galilee.
That Christ is truly risen
from the dead we know.
Victorious King, Thy mercy show!
Amen.
A beautiful recording by a group of Benedictine monks in France can be heard here:
From the Ceremonial of Bishops, the Church tells us:
The fifty days from Easter Sunday to Pentecost are celebrated in joyful exultation as one feast day, or better as one “great Sunday”. These above all others are the days for the singing of the Alleluia. #371
Happy Easter to all!