O sacrum convivium!
in quo Christus sumitur:
recolitur memoria passionis ejus:
mens impletur gratia:
et futurae gloriae nobis pignus datur.
Alleluia.

O sacred banquet!
in which Christ is received,
the memory of his Passion is renewed,
the mind is filled with grace,
and a pledge of future glory to us is given.
Alleluia.

Lauda, Sion, Salvatorem,
Lauda ducem et pastorem,
In hymnis et canticis.

Quantum potes, tantum aude;
Quia major omni laude,
Nec laudare sufficis.

Laudis thema specialis,
Panis vivus et vitalis,
Hodie proponitur.

Quem in sacrae mensa coenae,
Turbae fratrum duodenae,
Datum non ambigitur.

Sit laus plena, sit sonora;
Sit jucunda, sit decora
Mentis jubilatio.

Dies enim solemnis agitur,
In qua mensae prima recolitur
Hujus institutio.

In hac mensa novi Regis,
Novum Pasha novae legis
Phase vetus terminat.

Vetustatem novitas,
umbram fugat veritas,
Noctem lux eliminat.

Quod in coena Christus gessit,
Faciendum hoc espressit
In sui memoriam.

Docti sacris institutis,
Panem, vinum, in salutis
Consecramus hostiam.

Dogma datur Christianis,
Quod in carnem transit panis,
Et vinum in sanguinem.

Quod non capis, quod non vides,
Animosa firmat fides,
Praeter rerum ordinem.

Sub diversis speciebus,
Signis tantum, et non rebus,
Latent res eximiae.

Caro cibus, sanguis potus;
Manet tamen Christus totus
Sub utraque specie.

A sumente non concisus,
Non confractus, non divisus,
Integer accipitur.

Sumit unus, sumunt mille:
Quantum isti, tantum ille:
Nec sumptus consumitur.

Sumunt boni, sumunt mali,
Sorte tamen inaequali
Vitae vel interitus.

Mors et malis, vita bonis:
Vide paris sumptionis
Quam sit dispar exitus.

Fracto demum sacramento,
Ne vacilles, sed memento
Tantum esse sub fragmento
Quantum toto tegitur.

Nulla rei fit scissura:
Signi tantum fit fractura:
Qua nec status nec statura
Signati minuitur.

Ecce panis Angelorum,
Factus cibus viatorum,
Vere panis filiorum.
Non mittendus canibus.

In figuris praesignatur,
Cum Isaac immolatur:
Agnus paschae deputatur;
Datur manna patribus.

Bone pastor, panis vere,
Jesu, nostri miserere:
Tu nos pasce, nos tuere,
Tu nos bona fac videre
In terra viventium.

Tu, qui cuncta scis et vales,
Qui nos pascis hic mortales,
Tuos ibi commensales,
Cohaeredes et sodales,
Fac Sanctorum civium.
Amen. Alleluia.

Sion, lift thy voice and sing:
Praise thy Savior and thy King,
Praise with hymns thy Shepherd true.

All thou canst, do thou endeavor,
Yet thy praise can equal never
Such as merits thy great King.

See today before us laid
The living and life-giving Bread!
Theme for praise and joy profound!

The same which at the sacred board
Was, by our incarnate Lord,
Giv'n to His Apostels round.

Let the praise by loud and high:
Sweet and tranquil be the joy
Felt today in every breast,

On this festival divine
Which records the origin
Of the glorious Eucharist.

On this table of the King,
Our new Paschal offering
Brings to end the olden rite.

Here, for empty shadows fled,
Is reality instead;
Here, instead of darkness, light.

His own act, at supper seated,
Christ ordain'd to be repeated,
In His memory divine;

Wherefore now, with adoration,
We, the Host of our salvation,
Consecrate from bread and wine,

Hear what holy Church maintaineth,
That the bread its substance changeth
Into Flesh, the wine to Blood.

Doth it pass thy comprehending?
Faith, the law of sight transcending
Leaps to things not understood,

Here beneath these signs are hidden
Priceless things, to sense forbidden
Signs, not things, are all we see.

Flesh from bread, and Blood from wine,
Yet is Christ in either sign,
All entire, confessed to be.

They, who of Him here partake,
Sever not, nor rend, nor break:
But, entire, their Lord receive,

Whether one or thousands eat,
All receive the self-same meat,
Nor the less for others leave,

Both the wicked and the good
Eat of this celestial Food;
But with ends how opposite!

Here 'tis life: and there 'tis death:
The same, yet issuing to each
In a difference infinite.

Nor a single doubt retain,
When they break the Host in twain,
But that in each part remains
What was in the whole before;

Since the simple sign alone
Suffers change in state or form,
The signified remaining one
And the same for evermore.

Lo! upon the altar lies,
Hidden deep from human eyes,
Bread of Angels from the skies,
Made the food of mortal man;

Children's meat to dogs denied,
In old types presignified:
In the manna heaven-supplied
In Isaac, and the Paschal lamb.

Jesu! Shepherd of the sheep!
Thou Thy flock in safety keep,
Living Bread! Thy life supply:
Strengthen us, or else we die:
Fill us with celestial grace!

Thou, who feedest us below!
Source of all we have or know!
Grant that with Thy Saints above,
Sitting at the feast of love,
We may see Thee face to face.
Amen. Alleluia.