Contents Aeterna caeli gloria
O Christ, Whose Glory Fills the Heaven
Hymni


Anonymous 5th century Ambrosian hymn. This hymn is found in the Roman Breviary for Friday Lauds. It is also used in the Liturgia Horarum at Fridays Lauds of the first and third weeks of the Psalter during Ordinary Time.

AETERNA caeli gloria,
beata spes mortalium,
celsi Parentis Unice,1
castaeque proles Virginis:
O CHRIST, whose glory fills the heaven,
our only hope, in mercy given;
Child of a Virgin meek and pure;
Son of the Highest evermore:
Da dexteram surgentibus,
exsurgat et mens sobria.
flagrans et in laudem Dei
grates rependat debitas.
Grant us Thine aid Thy praise to sing,
as opening days new duties bring;
that with the light our life may be
renewed and sanctified by Thee.
Ortus refulget lucifer,
ipsamque lucem nuntiat,
cadit caligo noctium,2
lux sancta nos illuminet.
The morning star fades from the sky,
the sun breaks forth; night's shadows fly:
O Thou, true Light, upon us shine:
our darkness turn to light divine.
Manensque nostris sensibus
noctem repellat saeculi
omnique fine temporis
purgata servet pectora.
Within us grant Thy light to dwell:
and from our souls dark sins expel;
Cleanse Thou our minds from stain of ill,
and with Thy peace our bosoms fill.
Quaesita iam primum fides
radicet altis sensibus,3
secunda spes congaudeat,
tunc4 maior exstat caritas.
To us strong faith forever give,
with joyous hope, in Thee to live;
That life's rough way may ever be
made strong and pure by charity.
Sit, Christe, rex piissime,
tibi Patrique gloria,
cum Spiritu Paraclito,
in sempiterna saecula. Amen.
All laud to God the Father be;
All praise, Eternal Son, to Thee;
All glory, as is ever meet,
to God the Holy Paraclete.

Latin from the Liturgia Horarum. English translation by John Julian (1839-1913).

Changes made by Pope Urban VIII in 1632 to the Roman Breviary:
1 summi Tonantis Unice.
2 praeitque solem nuntius/ cadunt tenebrae noctium.
3 in corde radices agat
4 qua


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