Creator alme siderum

Bright Builder of the heavenly poles

The Hymns of the Breviary and Missal

Creator alme siderum,
Æterna lux credentium,
Jesu Redemptor omnium,
Intende votis supplicum.
Qui dæmonis ne fraudibus
Periret orbis, impetu
Amoris actus, languidi
Mundi medela factus es.
Commune qui mundi nefas
Ut expiares; ad crucem
E Virginis sacrario
Intacta prodis victima.
Cujus potestas gloriæ,
Nomenque cum primum sonat;
Et cœlites et inferi
Tremente curvantur genu.
Te deprecamur ultimæ
Magnum diei Judicem,
Armis supernæ gratiea
Defende nos ab hostibus.
Virtus, honor, laus, gloria
Deo Patri cum Filio,
Sancto simul Paraclito,
In sæculorum sæcula.

Bright Builder of the heavenly poles,
Eternal light of faithful souls,
Jesus, Redeemer of mankind,
Our humble prayers vouchsafe to mind.
Who, lest the fraud of hell’s black king
Should all men to destruction bring,
Didst, by an act of generous love,
The fainting world’s physician prove.
Who, that Thou mightst our ransom pay
And wash the stains of sin away,
Wouldst from a Virgin’s womb proceed
And on the Cross a Victim bleed.
Whose glorious power, whose saving name
No sooner any voice can frame,
But heaven and earth and hell agree
To honor them with trembling knee.
Thee, Christ, who at the latter day
Shalt be our Judge, we humbly pray
Such arms of heavenly grace to send
As may Thy Church from foes defend.
Be glory given and honor done
To God the Father and the Son
And to the Holy Ghost on high,
From age to age eternally.

Author: Ambrosian, 7th cent. Meter: Iambic dimeter. Translation A cento from the Primer, 1685, and the Evening Office, 1710. First line of Original Text: Conditor alme siderum. The Advent hymns were greatly altered by the revisers under Pope Urban VIII (1632). Only one line of this hymn was left unaltered, and only twelve words of the original were retained. Including both texts there are about thirty translations, nine of which are in Mr. Shipley’s Annus Sanctus, both texts being represented. Liturgical Use: Vespers hymn for Sundays and week-days during Advent.

The hymns and antiphons of Advent present in a concise and admirable manner the leading ideas of that holy season.

“O Jesus, kind Creator of the stars, eternal light of the faithful, Redeemer of all, give ear to the prayers of Thy suppliants.” Creator: Omnia per ipsum facta sunt: et sine ipso factum est nihil quod factum est (John 1, 3). Lux: Erat lux vera, quæ illuminat omnem hominem venientem in hunc mundum (John 1, 9).
“Thou wast impelled by the power of love to become a remedy for the languid world, lest mankind should perish through the cunning of the devil.” Constr. Qui actus impetu amoris, factus es medela mundi languidi, ne orbis fraudibus dæmonis periret. Actus=commotus.
“To expiate the common guilt of mankind, Thou, a spotless Victim, didst go forth to the Cross from the sacred womb of a Virgin.”
“The might of Thy glory is such that as soon as Thy name is uttered, the blessed and the damned alike bend with trembling knee.” Cujus (est). Nomen: Ut in nomine Jesu omne genu flectatur cœlestium, terrestrium et infernorum (Philip. 2, 10).
“We beseech Thee, great Judge of the last day, defend us from our enemies with weapons of heavenly grace.”