Conditor Alme Siderum: Hymn to the Creator of the Cosmos

Link to the music: https://tinyurl.com/conditoralme

This is one of the most ancient hymns we've sung so far, dating back to the 7th century! It was revised over 1000 years later because it didn't follow the rules for Latin poetry, and to remove a single Greek word: hagie (holy).

Although the translation is usually rendered: Creator of the stars of night, siderum is not precisely the same as the more common stella. Siderum includes the notion of sun, moon, planets, and all the constellations of stars. In other words, this is a hymn to the Loving Creator of the Universe (see verse 2).

It also evokes the season of Advent in the sense that we have been living it since the Ascension 2000 years ago: awaiting the second coming of Christ at the end of time. A beautiful hymn to sing this Advent as we await His coming at Christmas!

Latin:

1 Cónditor alme síderum,

aetérna lux credéntium,

Christe, redémptor ómnium,

exáudi preces súpplicum.

2 Qui cóndolens intéritu

mortis períre saeculum,

salvásti mundum lánguidum,

donans reis remédium:

3 Vergénte mundi véspere,

uti sponsus de thálamo,

egréssus honestíssima

Vírginis matris cláusula:

4 Cuius forti poténtiæ

genu curvántur ómnia,

Caeléstia, terréstria,

mutu faténtur súbdita.

5 Te déprécamur agie,

ventúre judex saéculi,

consérva nos in témpore

hostis a telo pérfidi.

6 Laus, honor, virtus, glória

Deo Patri, et Filío,

sancto Simul Paráclito

in saeculórum saécula. Amen.

1. Creator of the stars of night,

thy people’s everlasting light,

Jesu, Redeemer, save us all,

and hear Thy servants when they call.

2. Thou, grieving that the ancient curse

should doom to death a universe,

hast found the medicine, full of grace,

to save and heal a ruined race.

3. Thou cam’st, the Bridegroom of the bride,

as drew the world to evening-tide;

proceeding from a virgin shrine,

the spotless victim all divine.

4. At whose dread name, majestic now,

all knees must bend, all hearts must bow;

and things celestial Thee shall own,

and things terrestrial, Lord alone.

5. O Thou whose coming is with dread

to judge and doom the quick and dead,

preserve us, while we dwell below,

from every insult of the foe.

6. To God the Father, God the Son,

and God the Spirit, Three in One,

laud, honor, might, and glory be

from age to age eternally.