1. Dear Crown of all the Virgin-choir That holy Mother's Virgin Son! Who is, alone of womankind, Mother and Virgin both in one.
2. Encircles by thy Virgin band, Amid the lilies Thou art found; For thy pure brides with lavish hand Scatt'ring immortal graces round.
3. And still whatever Thou dost bend Thy lovely steps, O glorious King, Virgins upon Thy steps attend, And hymns to Thy glory sing.
4. Keep us, O Purity divine, From ev'ry least corruption free; Our ev'ry sense from sin refine, And purify our souls for Thee.
5. To God the Father, and the Son, All honor, glory, praise be giv'n; With Thee, coequal Paraclete! Forevermore in earth and Heav'n.
Now let the earth with joy resound Exsultet orbis gaudiis
Translated by Father Caswall Lachmannov Spevnicek Arr. by N. A. M.
1. Now let the earth with joy resound; And Heav'n the chant re-echo round; Nor Heav'n nor earth too high can raise The great Apostles' glorious praise.
2. O ye who, throned in glory dread, Shall judge the living and the dead! Lights of the world forevermore! To you the suppliant pray'r we pour.
3. So when the world is at its end, And Christ to judgement shall descend, May we be called these joys to see Prepared from all eternity.
4. Praise to the Father, with the Son, And Holy Spirit, Three in One; As ever was in ages past, And so shall be while ages last.
The Pilgrims of the Night Father Faber Nicola A. Montani
1. Hark! Hark! My soul! Angelic songs are swelling O'er earth's green fields and ocean's wave-beat shore; How sweet the truth those blessed strains are telling Of that new life where sin shall be no more!
Refrain Angels of Jesus! Angels of light! Singing to welcome The pilgrims of the night.
2. Darker than night life's shadows fall around us, And, like benighted men, we miss our mark; God hides Himself, and grace hath scarcely found us, Ere death finds out his victims in the dark.
3. Far, far away, like bells at evening pealing, The voice of Jesus sounds o'er land and sea; And laden souls, by thousands meekly stealing, Kind Shepherd! Turn their weary steps to Thee.
4. Angels! sing on, your faithful watches keeping, Sing us sweet fragments of the songs above; While we toil on, and soothe ourselves with weeping, Till life's long night shall break in endless love.