Good Friday. Stabat Mater.

Stabat Mater
(The Mother Stood)
is the Sequence for the Mass of 15 September,
the Mass of the Seven Sorrows of The Blessed Virgin Mary.
It recounts The Blessed Virgin Mary's heartbreak on Good Friday,
when standing at the foot of the Cross,
whilst her Son, Jesus Christ, hung on that infamous gibbet.

Illustrations taken from GOSPEL OPERATION INTERNATIONAL Web-Site.

Stabat Mater.
Pergolesi.
Kathleen Ferrier (1946).
Available on YouTube at
http://youtu.be/lQlDaHLP15U.

Stabat Mater dolorosa,

Juxta crucem lacrimosa,

Dum pendebat Filius.

At the Cross, her Station keeping,

Stood the mournful Mother weeping,

Close to Jesus to the last.

Cujus animam gementem,

Contristatam et dolentem,

Pertransivit gladius.

Through her heart, His sorrow sharing,

All His bitter anguish bearing,

Now at length the sword had passed.

O quam tristis et afflicta,

Fuit illa benedicta,

Mater Unigeniti !

Oh, how sad and sore distress'd,

Was that Mother, highly blest

Of the sole-begotten One !

Quae maerebat, et dolebat,

Pia Mater dum videbat

Nati poenas inclyti.

Christ above in torment hangs;

She beneath beholds the pangs

Of her dying glorious Son.

Quis est homo, qui non fleret,

Matrem Christi si videret

In tanto supplicio ?

Is there one who would not weep

Whelm'd in miseries so deep

Christ's dear Mother to behold ?

Quis non posset contristari,

Christi Matrem contemplari

Dolentem cum Filio ?

Can the human heart refrain

From partaking in her pain,

In that Mother's pain untold ?

Pro peccatis suae gentis

Vidit Jesum in tormentis

Et flagellis subditum.

Bruis'd, derided, curs'd, defil'd,

She beheld her tender child:

All with bloody scourges rent.

Vidit suum dulcem natum

Moriendo desolatum,

Dum emisit spiritum.

For the sins of His own nation,

Saw Him hang in desolation,

'Til His spirit forth He sent.

Eia Mater, fons amoris,

Me sentire vim doloris

Fac, ut tecum lugeam.

O thou Mother, fount of love !

Touch my spirit from above;

Make my heart with thine accord.

Fac ut ardeat cor meum

In amando Christum Deum,

Ut sibi complaceam.

Make me feel as thou hast felt;

Make my soul to glow and melt

With the love of Christ Our Lord.

Sancta Mater, istud agas,

Crucifixi fige plagas

Cordi meo valide.

Holy Mother ! Pierce me through;

In my heart each wound renew

Of my Saviour crucified.

Tui nati vulnerati,

Tam dignati pro me pati,

Poenas mecum divide.

Let me share with thee His pain,

Who for all my sins was slain,

Who for me in torments died.

Fac me tecum pie flere,

Crucifixo condolere,

Donec ego vixero.

Let me mingle tears with thee,

Mourning Him who mourn'd for me,

All the days that I may live.

Juxta crucem tecum stare,

Et me tibi sociare

In planctu desidero.

By the Cross with thee to stay,

There with thee to weep and pray,

Is all I ask of thee to give.

Virgo virginum praeclara,

Mihi jam non sis amara:

Fac me tecum plangere.

Virgin of all virgins best,

Listen to my fond request:

Let me share thy grief divine.

Fac ut portem Christi mortem,

Passionis fac consortem,

Et plagas recolere.

Let me, to my latest breath,

In my body bear the death

Of that dying Son of thine.

Fac me plagis vulnerati

Fac me cruce inebriari,

Et cruore Filii.

Wounded with his every wound,

Steep my soul 'til it hath swoon'd

In His very blood away.

Flammis ne urar succensus,

Per te, Virgo, sim defensus,

In die judicii.

Be to me, O Virgin, nigh,

Lest in flames I burn and die,

In His awful Judgment Day.

Christe, cum sit hinc exire,

Da per Matrem me venire

Ad palmam victoriae.

Christ, when Thou shalt call me hence,

Be Thy Mother my defence,

Be Thy Cross my victory.

Quando corpus morietur,

Fac ut animae donetur

Paradisi gloria.

Amen. Alleluia.

While my body here decays,

May my Soul Thy goodness praise,

Safe in Paradise with Thee.

Amen. Alleluia.