Aeterna Caeli Gloria
The beauty of an ancient hymn
Dear reader,
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Yesterday I was praying Lauds in the Monastic Diurnal (morning prayer of the Liturgy of the Hours - an ancient rhythm of prayer working through the Psalms at moments in the day, across a week… see the end of this post for a video that briefly explains it) and the hymn caught my attention. It drew me back across the day as varying lines came to mind.
The hymn for Lauds on Friday - Aeterna Caeli Gloria - dates back to the 4th-5th century and has been a significant part of the prayer life of the Church ever since. The authorship is unknown but it’s generally thought of as an Ambrosian hymn (not the marshmallow and cream dessert, but the saint). Some date it to the 6th-7th century with Pope Gregory I as it’s author.
As an aside, the genesis of Gregorian chant is popularly attributed to Pope Gregory I.
If one spends any time in the traditional hymns of the Liturgy of the Hours and the traditions of the Latin Church Saint Ambrose’s name pops up regularly. There’s a body of hymns that are connected to him, and a musical style. He’s a towering figure in the history of the Latin Church. Here’s some decent history on him and his influence.
There are minor variations of the hymn, mostly in the ending, but here’s the Latin version as it appears in the Monastic Diurnal of Saint Michael’s Abbey.
Æterna cæli gloria,
Beata spes mortalium,
Celsi Tonantis Unice,
Castæque proles Virginis:Da dexteram surgentibus,
Exsurgat et mens sobria.
Flagrans et in laudem Dei
Grates rependat debitas.Ortus refulget lucifer,
Sparsamque lucem nuntiat,
Cadit caligo noctium,
Lux sancta nos illuminet.Manensque nostris sensibus
Noctem repellat sæculi
Omnique fine diei
Purgata servet pectora.Quæsita iam primum Fides
Radicet altis sensibus,
Secunda spes congaudeat,
Qua maior exstat caritas.Deo Patri sit gloria,
Eiusque soli Filio,
Cum Spiritu Paraclito,
Nunc, et per omne saeculum. Amen.
And here’s the English translation as it appears. This translation is attributed to John Mason Neale in 1854.
Eternal Glory of the sky,
Blest hope of frail humanity,
The Father’s Sole-begotten One,
Yet born a spotless Virgin’s Son!Uplift us with Thine arm of might,
And let our hearts rise pure and bright:
And ardent in God’s praises, pay
The thanks we owe Him every day.The day-star’s rays are glittering clear,
And tell that Day itself is near:
The shadows of the night depart:
Thou, Holy Light, illume the heart!Within our senses ever dwell,
And worldly darkness thence expel:
Long as the days of life endure,
Preserve our souls devout and pure:The Faith that first must be possessed,
Root deep within our inmost breast:
And joyous Hope in second place,
Then Charity, Thy greatest grace.All praise to God the Father be:
All praise, Eternal Son, to Thee:
All glory, as is ever meet
To God the Holy Paraclete. Amen.
These sort of hymns appearing in the morning are in invitation to a fresh start. Whatever yesterday held, this is a chance to move forward, and this one has in mind the rest of our days. It requests that God, the author of light, would push aside the darkness and embed in us the great virtues that drive a flourishing life - faith, hope, and charity (love). The greatest of these is charity (love). These morning hymns are driven by a hopefulness that rests on the goodness of God.
I’ll have to do an article sometime on those two translations of a Greek and a Latin word into ‘charity’ or ‘love’. I prefer ‘charity’ when it’s more deeply understood than the more modern popular thought around handouts to those in need, as ‘love’ is less precise and means too many varying things.
Since I don’t sing these hymns but rather simply speak them in prayer, they always feel slightly awkward, but meaningful nonetheless. Here’s the Latin version of Aeterna Caeli Gloria in chant.
If you’re observant and read through the Latin version, keen eyes will spot the word lucifer - ‘Ortus refulget lucifer’. You would be forgiven for having some alarm bells set off since the term lucifer has often been associated with the devil. It’s a reference to the morning star that is brightest for a good chunk of the year just before the day begins. It’s the planet we know as Venus. Here it may also be a reference to the sun. It’s interesting jumping into the passages in scripture where the term ‘lucifer’ appears in Latin versions and see what it’s referring to.
The day-star’s rays are glittering clear,
and tell that day itself is near:
The shadows of the night depart;
Thou holy Light illumines the heart.
Maybe there’s something in the hymn for you to contemplate as you read it mindfully.
If prayer is a thing in your life, please pray for me.
Aroha nui,
Frank
Here’s a video explaining the monastic diurnal that I use. Mine is a later edition than the one in the video. It has the same text but is smaller.