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Pope Saint Paul VI (3 April 1969): “Although the text of the Roman Gradual—at least that which concerns the singing—has not been changed, the Entrance antiphons and Communions antiphons have been revised for Masses without singing.”

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Views from the Choir Loft

Eleven (11) Rare Lenten Hymns You’ve Not Sung!

Jeff Ostrowski · February 25, 2023

ATHER ADRIAN FORTESCUE was (rightly) considered the preëminent scholar of the Catholic world until Knox. Speaking of an ancient hymn, he once wrote: “Where could anyone find a better evening hymn than this, coming right down from the catacombs? Our hymnbooks know nothing of such a treasure as this, and give us pages of poor sentiment in doggerel lines by some tenth-rate modern versifier.” What is Father Fortescue talking about? What are some ancient hymns with powerful texts? Can they be sung by Catholics in English? Let me see if I can explain, with concrete examples.

Example: “Ex More Docti Mystico”

If you like to sing in Latin, you can sing the Matins hymn for Lent: EX MORE DOCTI MYSTICO. As you can see, the words (“lyrics”)—which come from the sixth century—are quite beautiful:

* *  PDF Download • “Ex More Docti Mystico” (LENT)
—6th-century Matins hymn during the holy season of Lent.

To sing it in English, you can use a splendid melody called “BRESSANI,” as shown here:

M To access this hymn’s media in the Brébeuf Portal, click here.

If you don’t like that melody, you can try “SAXONY,” as shown here:

M To access this hymn’s media in the Brébeuf Portal, click here.

If you don’t like either of those, you can try the “EISENACH” melody, as shown here:

M To access this hymn’s media in the Brébeuf Portal, click here.

Example: “O Sol Salutis Intimis”

Another ancient hymn is called “O Sol Salutis Intimis”—but until the revisions of Pope Urban VIII it was called “Jam Christe Sol Justitiae.” Here it is in Latin, with a literal English translation:

* *  PDF Download • “O Sol Salutis” (LENT)
—The ancient name for this hymn is “Jam Christe Sol Justitiae.”

If you choir knows the “EISENACH” melody, you can sing it in English:

M To access this hymn’s media in the Brébeuf Portal, click here.

Another wonderful melody for that hymn was composed by Orlando Gibbons (d. 1625)

M To access this hymn’s media in the Brébeuf Portal, click here.

Example: “Vexilla Regis Prodeunt”

One of the greatest of all hymns is the VEXILLA REGIS by Bishop Venantius Fortunatus, who lived in the sixth century:

*  PDF Download • VEXILLA REGIS PRODEUNT
—Pope Urban VIII modified some of the verses in this hymn.

It can be sung in English using the “BRESSANI” melody:

Another beautiful Englished setting is the “AGINCOURT” tune:

M To access this hymn’s media in the Brébeuf Portal, click here.

If you already taught your choir how to sing the “EISENACH” tune, you can use that one:

M To access this hymn’s media in the Brébeuf Portal, click here.

Conclusion • The Brébeuf Hymnal has more Lenten hymns than any other Catholic hymn book. You owe it to yourself—and your congregation—to investigate this resource!

Opinions by blog authors do not necessarily represent the views of Corpus Christi Watershed.

Filed Under: Articles, Featured Tagged With: Angel's Song by Orlando Gibbons, Bressani Hymn Tune, Eisenach Hymn, Ex More Docti Mystico, Jam Christe Sol Justitiae, O Sol Salutis Intimis, Orlando Gibbons, Rev Fr Adrian Fortescue Liturgy, Saxony Hymn Tune, Vexilla Regis Prodeunt Last Updated: February 25, 2023

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About Jeff Ostrowski

Jeff Ostrowski holds his B.M. in Music Theory from the University of Kansas (2004). He resides with his wife and children in Michigan. —(Read full biography).

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Corpus Christi Watershed

President’s Corner

    (Part 2) • Did they simplify this hymn?
    Choirs love to sing the resplendent tune called “INNSBRUCK.” Looking through a (Roman Catholic) German hymnal printed in 1929, I discovered what appears to be a simplified version of that hymn. Their harmonization is much less complex than the version found in the Father Brébeuf Hymnal (which is suitable for singing by SATB choir). Please download their 1929 harmonization (PDF) and let me know your thoughts. As always, the Germans added an organ INTRODUCTION. For the record, I posted a different harmonization a few months ago which was downloaded more than 2,000 times.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    PDF • “Lectionary Comparison Chart”
    Various shell corporations (in an effort to make money selling Sacred Scripture) have tinkered with the LECTIONARY texts in a way that’s shameful. It’s no wonder Catholics in the pews know so few Bible passages by heart. Without authorization, these shell corporations pervert the official texts. Consider the Responsorial Psalm for the 1st Sunday of Advent (Year A). If you download this PDF comparison chart you’ll notice each country randomly omits certain sections. Such tinkering has gone on for 60+ years—and it’s reprehensible.
    —Corpus Christi Watershed
    Monsignor Klaus Gamber Speaks!
    An interesting quotation from the eminent liturgist, Monsignor Klaus Gamber (d. 1989): “According to canon law, a person’s affiliation with a particular liturgical rite is determined by that person’s rite of baptism. Given that the liturgical reforms of Pope Paul VI created a de facto new rite, one could assert that those among the faithful who were baptized according to the traditional Roman rite have the right to continue following that rite; just as priests who were ordained according to the traditional Ordo have the right to exercise the very rite that they were ordained to celebrate.”
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Quick Thoughts

    New Bulletin Article • “12 October 2025”
    My pastor requested that I write short articles each week for our parish bulletin. Those responsible for preparing similar write-ups may find a bit of inspiration in these brief columns. The latest article (dated 12 October 2025) talks about an ‘irony’ or ‘paradox’ regarding the 1960s switch to a wider use (amplior locus) of vernacular in the liturgy.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “American Catholic Hymnal” (1991)
    The American Catholic Hymnal, with IMPRIMATUR granted (25 April 1991) by the Archdiocese of Chicago, is like a compendium of every horrible idea from the 1980s. Imagine being forced to stand all through Communion (even afterwards) when those self-same ‘enlightened’ liturgists moved the SEQUENCE before the Alleluia to make sure congregations wouldn’t have to stand during it. (Even worse, everything about the SEQUENCE—including its name—means it should follow the Alleluia.) And imagine endlessly repeating “Alleluia” during Holy Communion at every single Mass. It was all part of an effort to convince people that Holy Communion was historically a procession (which it wasn’t).
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Canonic” • Ralph Vaughan Williams
    Fifty years ago, Dr. Theodore Marier made available this clever arrangement (PDF) of “Come down, O love divine” by P. R. Dietterich. The melody was composed in 1906 by Ralph Vaughan Williams (d. 1958) and named in honor of his birthplace: DOWN AMPNEY. The arrangement isn’t a strict canon, but it does remind one of a canon since the pipe organ employs “points of imitation.” The melody and text are #709 in the Brébeuf Catholic Hymnal.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

“We must say it plainly: the Roman rite as we knew it exists no more. It has gone. Some walls of the structure have fallen, others have been altered—we can look at it as a ruin or as the partial foundation of a new building. Think back, if you remember it, to the Latin sung High Mass with Gregorian chant. Compare it with the modern post-Vatican II Mass. It is not only the words, but also the tunes and even certain actions that are different. In fact it is a different liturgy of the Mass.”

— Fr. Joseph Gelineau (1978)

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