Contents O divi amoris victima
O Victim Dear
SFranciscusAssisiensis
O DIVI amoris victima
quino cruenta vulnere,
Francisce qui vivam Crucis
Christi refers imaginem.
O VICTIM dear of heavenly love,
impurpled by thy fivefold sign,
Saint Francis, father of the poor,
of Jesus' Cross a living shrine.
O divi Tu caritatis fervidis
flammis adustus, sanguinem
Christo daturus, barbara
ter cogitasti litora.
Thou, burning with the glowing flames
of love of God and love of man,
dost yearn for Christ to shed thy blood
and thrice dost try the seas to span.
Voti sed impos, non sinis
languere flammas desides:
et excitas caelestia,
flagrans amore incendia.
Although denied thy heart's desire,
thou lettest not thine ardor wane;
but kindled still with love divine
to stir new fires thou strivest amain.
In prole vivens efferas
pervadis oras; algida
gelu soluto, ut ferveant
ardore sancto pectora.
Still living in thine Orders three,
thou art found in many a savage clime;
and frozen hearts, warmed at thy flame,
grow fervent with thy fire sublime.
Sic pertimendis lividum
armis Avernum conteris;
virtutis et firmum latus
templo labanti subiicis.
So shalt thou crush the powers of hell,
thy conquering arms our foes dismay;
when Holy Church doth seem to fail,
still is thy mighty strength her stay.
Adsis, Pater, precantibus
ignemque, late quo tua
exarsit ingens caritas,
accende nostris mentibus.
Come, help us, father, while we pray,
thy love within our hearts inspire,
thy boundless love, that spreads abroad
the glowing brightness of its fire.
Sit laus Patri et Filio,
sit inclyto Paraclito,
qui nos Parentis optimi
det aemulari spiritum. Amen.
Praise we the Father and the Son,
praise we the Holy Paraclete:
He grant us grace to emulate
Our father's spirit, as is meet. Amen.

From the Raccolta #516 (S. C. Ind., Sept. 13, 1893; S. P. Ap., Dec. 5, 1932). Translation by C. E. Spence.


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