Vexilla regis

Vexilla regis prodeunt

Vexilla regis prodeunt is a Latin hymn to the cross of Jesus Christ , written by Venantius Fortunatus (c. 530–609). Text and melody are world famous. The hymn is considered to be an outstanding example of the Christian Latin hymnody.

Metric

The text follows the rules of the iambic meter of the Latin metric . It is recited like an iambic poem . In the hymn Vexilla regis each verse has two metra , so it is a dimeter . Each of the two Metra consists of two feet , whereby the first is either an iambus (υ -) or a spondeus (- -), but the second is always an iambus. Since the verse has a total of four feet, it is also called the Quaternarius .

Metrization and text of the hymn

The Latin text is presented below. In order to be able to sing or recite it more easily, vowels which, according to the elision rules of classical verse doctrine, elide at word boundaries when two vowels meet, that is, cannot be pronounced, are placed in square brackets. For the first word “pretium” in the second verse of the sixth stanza, the “i” should be spoken consonantically. But one could also say “pre-zi-um” and thus start the verse with an anapast (υ υ -); this would also correspond to the rules of the iambic meter.

Metrization	Hymn in Honore sanctae crucis	Hymn in honor of the Holy Cross (translation)
——◡ ——— ◡— ——◡ ——— ◡— ——◡ ——— ◡— ——◡ — ◡ ◡ ◡—	Vexilla regis prodeunt, fulget crucis mysterium, quo carne carnis conditor suspensus est patibulo.	The standards of the king come forward; the mystery of the cross flashes, a stake of torture, on which the flesh's founder has been hung on the flesh !
——◡ ——— ◡ ◡ ——◡ ——— ◡ ◡ ◡ — ◡ ——— ◡— ——◡ ——— ◡ ◡	Confixa clavis viscera tendens manus, vestigia redemptionis gratia hic immolata [e] st hostia.	The body fastened with nails, the hands and feet stretched out , for the sake of redemption, the sacrificial lamb was sacrificed here.
——◡ — ◡ — ◡— ◡ — ◡ ——— ◡— ——◡ ——— ◡ ◡ ——◡ ——— ◡ ◡	Quo vulneratus insuper mucrone diro lanceae, ut nos lavaret crimine, manavit and [a] et sanguine.	Wherever he was wounded by the cruel tip of the lance, he dripped water and blood to wash us off our guilt .
——◡ ——— ◡— ◡ — ◡ ——— ◡ ◡ ——k — ◡ — ◡— ——◡ ——— ◡—	Impleta sunt, quae concinit David fideli carmine dicendo nationibus: Regnavit a ligno Deus.	What was fulfilled was what David proclaimed in reliable song when he said to the peoples: God reigns from the wood.
——◡ ——— ◡ ◡ ——◡ ——— ◡ ◡ ——◡ ——— ◡ ◡ ——◡ — ◡ — ◡ ◡	Arbor decor [a] et fulgida, ornata regis purpura, electa digno stipite tam sancta membra tangere.	You beautiful, flashing tree, adorned with the king's purple, chosen by the scion worthy to touch such sacred limbs.
◡ — ◡ ——— ◡— ——◡ ——— ◡— ——◡ ——— ◡— ——◡ — ◡ — ◡—	Beata, cuius brachiis pretium pependit saeculi, statera facta [e] st corporis praedam tulitque tartari.	Blessed tree, on whose branches the ransom of the world hung, and which, made the scales of the body, carried away the booty of Tartarus.
- ◡ ◡ — ◡ — ◡ ◡ ——◡ — ◡ — ◡ ◡ ——◡ ——— ◡— ——◡ ——— ◡—	Fundis aroma cortice, vincis sapore nectare, iucunda fructu fertili plaudis triumpho nobili.	You exude a fragrance from your bark, surpass nectar in sweetness, sweetly through your fruitful fruit you applaud noble triumph.
——◡ ——— ◡— ——◡ ——— ◡— ——◡ ——— ◡— ——◡ ——— ◡—	Salv [e], ara, salve, victima, de passionis gloria, qua vita mortem pertulit et morte vitam reddidit.	Greetings, altar, greetings, sacrificial lamb from the glory of suffering, in which life endured death and through death gave life back.

Hints:

• - long syllable; ◡ short syllable; k vowel shortening; × actually short, but used long
• Vowels in square brackets elide, that is, they are not pronounced.

Liturgical use

In the liturgy ( Liber Usualis , Graduale Romanum ) there were changes and some stanzas were deleted. There are liturgically added stanzas for this. The metrically correct version of the same follows:

Metrization	Liturgical additions	translation
——◡ ——— ◡ × ——◡ ——— ◡ × ◡ — ◡ ——— ◡ × ◡ — ◡ ——— ◡ ×	O crux, ave, spes unica hoc passionis tempore piis adauge gratiam, reisque dele crimina.	Greetings, O cross, you only hope in this time of suffering! May mercy increase the pious and eradicate offenses from the accused!
——◡ ——— ◡— ——◡ ——— ◡ × ◡ — ◡ ——— ◡ × ——◡ — ◡ — ◡ ×	Te, fons salutis Trinitas, collaudet omnis spiritus: Quibus crucis victoriam largiris, adde praemium. Amen.	You, source of salvation, Trinity, praise every spirit: those whom you bestow with the victory of the cross , add your reward.

The hymn Vexilla regis is sung in the Liturgy of the Hours from Palm Sunday to Holy Saturday at Vespers , and earlier also on Passion Sunday . It is also taken on the Solemnity of Exaltation of the Cross . It is only rarely used as a processional hymn . Until the reform of the Holy Week liturgy in 1955, the hymn was intended for Good Friday, when the Holy of Holies was brought to the high altar.

In several regional appendices to God's praise (1975) there is the German translation by Peter Soemer The king's banner billows up (e.g. Aachen no. 862, Osnabrück no. 864). The Praise of God (2013) contains under No. 299 the adaptation of The King Victims, his banner shines from the Roman Book of Hours of 1978; the melody ^{? / i} (Münster 1846) is a simplified version of the Gregorian way of singing.

Text analysis

A Vexillum regis is a king's banner; the symbol indicates the kingship of Christ.

Historical background

The hymn was sung for the first time on November 19, 569 in Poitiers as a processional hymn. At that time the cross relic was bought by the Byzantine Emperor Justin II at the request of St. Radegundis ceremoniously transferred to the monastery of La Sainte-Croix.

Settings

The Gregorian setting

The predominant setting in the liturgy is the Gregorian notated in the Graduale Romanum and Liber Usualis . It is maintained by the Gregorian schools, such as the Schola Gregoriana Mediolanensis in Milan. Even Maria Carta follows this tune she sings but in the Sardinian language .

Multi-part settings

Multi-part settings exist by Guillaume Du Fay (for three-part choir), Franz Liszt , Anton Bruckner (for four-part mixed choir, WAB 51) and Rihards Dubra . Franz Liszt used three stanzas in his late work Via Crucis .

literature

• Matthew Britt: The Hymns of the Breviary and Missal. New York (2nd edition) 1924, pp. 123-125.
• Guido Maria Dreves, Clemens Blume: A millennium Latin hymn poem. A harvest of blossoms from the Analektika Hymnika with explanations of literary history. Leipzig, OR Reisland, 1909. Part I, pp. 36-38.
• Wolfgang Joseph Emmerig: Instructions for Latin verse art. Fourth much improved edition. JM Daisenberger, Regensburg 1825

Web links

Commons : Vexilla Regis prodeunt  - collection of images, videos and audio files

• Vexilla regis from the Schola Gregoriana Mediolanensis, Giovanni Vianini, Milan
• Vexilla regis based on the setting by Anton Bruckner

Individual evidence

1. ^ Missale Romanum XXVIII. (1920) (PDF; p. 330 of 1220) p. 226