“Te Deum”
Stained-Glass Window,
by Christopher Whall.
Saint Mary-The-Virgin,
Ware, Hertfordshire, England.
Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/
Author: Barking Tigs
(Wikimedia Commons)
“Te Deum”.
5th-Century A.D. Solemn Monastic Chant.
Available on YouTube at
Monks of one of the Abbeys of The Solesmes Congregation sing this beautiful Chant. The Abbey in question is The Benedictine Abbey of Saint Maurice and Saint Maurus, Clervaux, Luxembourg.
The Te Deum is attributed to two Fathers and Doctors of The Church, Saint Ambrose and Saint Augustine and is one of the most majestic Chants in
The Liturgy of The Church.
It is sung in Traditional Seminaries and Monastic Houses at The Divine Office and for Double Feasts of The First-Class, The Nativity, Easter, Corpus Christi, Epiphany, Pentecost and those Feasts which have an Octave.
The Solemn Te Deum is sung on all occasions of public Church rejoicing
(in Traditional Catholic Churches).
English: Clervaux Abbey,
Luxembourg.
Lëtzebuergesch: D'Abtei vu Klierf
Photo: 29 September 2014.
Source: Own work.
Author: MMFE
(Wikimedia Commons)
The following Text is from Wikipedia - the free encyclopædia,
unless stated otherwise.
The Abbey was Founded by The Benedictine Monks of The Abbey of Saint Maur, Glanfeuil, France, itself Founded in the 7th-Century A.D. After its suppression during The French Revolution, the Abbey remained empty until it was re-established in 1890 under Louis-Charles Couturier, O.S.B., Abbot of Solesmes Abbey.[1]
In 1901, however, the Monks were compelled to leave France due to the Anti-Clerical Laws of The Third French Republic. After finding refuge in Baronville, Belgium (now part of the municipality of Beauraing), the Monks began to search for a permanent home. After various inquiries failed, they finally settled upon Clervaux, Luxembourg.
In 1908, a vote was taken by the Monastic Chapter, which made the decision to dissolve the existing Monastery in Glanfeuil, France, and to Found a new Monastery in Clervaux, Dedicated to Saint Maurice.
In 1937, The Holy See established the Monastery as a Territorial Abbey, independent of the authority of the local Bishop. This status lasted until 1946.[3] For much of this period, however, the Monastic Community of Clervaux lived in exile, having been expelled in January 1941 from the Abbey by The Gestapo, as part of the Nazi occupation of the Nation. The Monks were not able to re-occupy their Monastery until 1945.[4]
The Benedictine Monks who live here come from various Countries. Together, they constitute a Spiritual Community and Family under the authority of the Abbot. All of them lead a very secluded and retired life following The Rule of Saint Benedict. They divide their time between personal and communal Prayer and Work. The main emphasis lies on the communal Chorus Prayers, consisting of Psalms and Hymns, known as The Liturgy of The Hours, and on the Celebration of The Divine Mass.
Stained-Glass Window, depicting “The Te Deum”,
Sorrowful Mother Shrine Chapel,
Bellevue, Ohio, United States of America.
Photo: 29 April 2016.
Source: Own work.
Author: Nheyob
(Wikimedia Commons)
As part of a Monastic Congregation which helped in the revival of Gregorian Chant in the 19th-Century, this Abbey has produced several notable recordings of Gregorian Chant that has been performed by the Monks of the Abbey.
The noted Icelandic writer, Halldór Laxness (1902–1998), Converted to Roman Catholicism while staying at the Abbey. The Monastic Community has supported a Catholic Mission to Scandinavia for many years.
A Monk of the Abbey, Dom Jean Leclercq O.S.B. (Latin: Ordo Sancti Benedicti, abbreviated as O.S.B.), was a noted Patristics Scholar and helped to guide the renewal of Catholic Monastic Life during the last half of the 20th-Century.
Another Monk of the Abbey, Dom Paul Benoit, was a composer of mainly Liturgical Organ Music.
Australian-based Luxembourg composer Georges Lentz wrote his one-hour solo Electric Guitar piece “Ingwe” during a stay at the Abbey.
The Latin and English Lyrics,
of the “Te Deum”, below, are from
Te Deum laudámus:
Te Dominum confitémur.
Te ætérnum Patrem
Omnis terra venerátur.
Tibi omnes Angeli;
Tibi cæli et univérsae potestátes.
Tibi Chérubim et Séraphim
Incessábili voce proclámant:
Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus,
Dóminus Deus Sábaoth.
Pleni sunt cæli et terra
Majestátis glóriæ tuæ.
Te gloriósus
Apostolórum chorus;
Te Prophetárum
Laudábilis númerus;
Te Mártyrum
Candidátus laudat exércitus.
Te per orbem terrárum
Sancta confitétur Ecclésia:
Patrem
Imménsæ majestátis;
Venerándum tuum verum
Et únicum Fílium;
Sanctum quoque
Paráclitum Spíritum.
Tu Rex glóriæ,
Christe.
Tu Patris
Sempitérnus es Fílius.
Tu ad liberándum susceptúrus hóminem,
Non horruísti Vírginis úterum.
Tu, devícto mortis acúleo,
Aperuísti credéntibus regna cælórum.
Tu ad déxteram Dei sedes,
In glória Patris.
Judex créderis
Esse ventúrus.
Te ergo quǽsumus, tuis fámulis súbveni,
Quos pretióso sánguine redemísti.
Ætérna fac cum sanctis tuis
In glória numerári.
[added later, mainly from Psalm Verses:]
Salvum fac pópulum tuum, Dómine,
Et bénedic hæreditáti tuæ.
Et rege eos,
Et extólle illos usque in ætérnum.
Per síngulos dies
Benedícimus te.
Et laudámus nomen tuum in sǽculum,
Et in sǽculum sǽculi.
Dignáre, Dómine, die isto
Sine peccáto nos custodíre.
Miserére nostri, Dómine,
Miserére nostri.
Fiat misericórdia tua, Dómine, super nos,
Quemádmodum sperávimus in te.
In te, Dómine, sperávi:
Non confúndar in ætérnum.
O, GOD, we praise Thee:
We acknowledge Thee to be The Lord.
Everlasting Father, all The Earth doth Worship Thee.
To Thee, all The Angels, The Heavens and all The Powers,
All The Cherubim and Seraphim, unceasingly proclaim:
Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Hosts !
Heaven and Earth are full of The Majesty of Thy Glory.
The Glorious Choir of The Apostles,
The Wonderful Company of Prophets,
The White-Robed Army of Martyrs, praise Thee.
Holy Church throughout the World doth acknowledge Thee:
The Father of Infinite Majesty;
Thy Adorable, True and Only Son;
And The Holy Spirit, The Comforter.
O, Christ, Thou art The King of Glory !
Thou art The Everlasting Son of The Father.
Thou, having taken it upon Thyself to deliver man,
Didst not disdain The Virgin's Womb.
Thou overcame the sting of death
And hast opened to believers The Kingdom of Heaven.
Thou sittest at The Right-Hand of God, in The Glory of The Father.
We believe that Thou shalt come to be our Judge.
We beseech Thee, therefore, to help Thy servants
Whom Thou hast redeemed with Thy Precious Blood.
Make them to be numbered with Thy Saints
In everlasting glory.
Versicle. Save Thy people, O Lord, and Bless Thine inheritance !
Response. Govern them, and raise them up forever.
Versicle. Every day, we thank Thee.
Response. And we Praise Thy Name forever, yea, forever and ever.
Versicle. O Lord, deign to keep us from sin this day.
Response. Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us.
Versicle. Let Thy mercy, O Lord, be upon us, for we have hoped in Thee.
Response. O Lord, in Thee I have hoped; let me never be put to shame.
“Te Deum Laudamus”.
Chorbogen, 1901.
Source: Abbildung in: Die Christliche Kunst,
6. Jg. 1909–1910, VI. Heft (Februar 1910),
Author: Gebhard Fugel (1863–1939).
(Wikimedia Commons)
Lithograph of a “Te Deum”.
Celebrated by Arch-Priest Gratinskij,
Knights Guards Regiment, Moscow,
in the presence of French soldiers.
Paroisse Sainte Evpla.
15 September 1812 (Julian Calendar).
Source: Lithographie ancienne en ma possession, non datée.
Author: Unknown.
(Wikimedia Commons)
The following Text is from Wikipedia - the free encyclopædia,
unless otherwise stated.
unless otherwise stated.
The Te Deum (also known as Ambrosian Hymn or A Song of The Church) is an Early-Christian Hymn of Praise. The Title is taken from its opening Latin words “Te Deum laudamus”, rendered as “Thee, O God, we Praise”.
The Hymn remains in regular use in The Catholic Church in The Office of Readings, found in The Liturgy of The Hours, and In Thanksgiving to God for a special Blessing, such as the Election of a Pope, the Consecration of a Bishop, the Canonisation of a Saint, a Religious Profession, the publication of a Treaty of Peace, a Royal Coronation, etc.
It is sung either after Mass or The Divine Office or as a separate Religious Ceremony. The Hymn also remains in use in The Anglican Communion and some Lutheran Churches in similar settings.
In The Traditional Office, The Te Deum is sung at the end of Matins on all days when the Gloria is said at Mass; those days are all Sundays outside Advent, Septuagesima, Lent, and Passiontide; on all Feasts (except The Triduum) and on all Ferias during Eastertide.
Before the 1962 reforms, neither the Gloria nor the Te Deum were said on The Feast of The Holy Innocents, unless it fell on Sunday, as they were Martyred before The Death of Christ and, therefore, could not immediately attain The Beatific Vision. A Plenary Indulgence is granted, under the usual conditions, to those who recite it in public on New Year's Eve.
In The Liturgy of The Hours, of Pope Paul VI, The Te Deum is sung at the end of The Office of Readings on all Sundays, except those of Lent, on all Solemnities, on The Octaves of Easter and Christmas, and on all Feasts. It is also used, together with the standard Canticles, in Morning Prayer, as prescribed in The Anglican Book of Common Prayer, in Matins, for Lutherans, and is retained by many Churches of The Reformed Tradition.
The Hymn remains in regular use in The Catholic Church in The Office of Readings, found in The Liturgy of The Hours, and In Thanksgiving to God for a special Blessing, such as the Election of a Pope, the Consecration of a Bishop, the Canonisation of a Saint, a Religious Profession, the publication of a Treaty of Peace, a Royal Coronation, etc.
It is sung either after Mass or The Divine Office or as a separate Religious Ceremony. The Hymn also remains in use in The Anglican Communion and some Lutheran Churches in similar settings.
Before the 1962 reforms, neither the Gloria nor the Te Deum were said on The Feast of The Holy Innocents, unless it fell on Sunday, as they were Martyred before The Death of Christ and, therefore, could not immediately attain The Beatific Vision. A Plenary Indulgence is granted, under the usual conditions, to those who recite it in public on New Year's Eve.
In The Liturgy of The Hours, of Pope Paul VI, The Te Deum is sung at the end of The Office of Readings on all Sundays, except those of Lent, on all Solemnities, on The Octaves of Easter and Christmas, and on all Feasts. It is also used, together with the standard Canticles, in Morning Prayer, as prescribed in The Anglican Book of Common Prayer, in Matins, for Lutherans, and is retained by many Churches of The Reformed Tradition.
As usual, a wonderful and far-reaching review of the Te Deum, Zephyrinus, and along the way, of the great restored Benedictine Abbey of Ss. Maur & Maurice. I did not know that the Gestapo had evicted the monks from the abbey during the war years 1941-1945: Yet another look backward in time at another now-thankfully "disappeared" reign predicted to last "a thousand years." Sic transit gloria mundi.
ReplyDeleteThis abbey "cut" a famous recording of Gregorian chant in 1959 that was produced by the Belgian company Philips: It was first on "old" 33 1/3 vinyl records, then went to cassette tapes in the 1970's, and CD's after that. It is now on YouTube for everyone to enjoy:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGZT--t8iW8&t=857s
The devotion and attention to the chant by the monks captured forever in these last fleeting moments of autumnal beauty, before the typhoon regrettably unleashed by the winds of the Vatican II proponents in 1962, is palpable. -Notes by Dante P.
Most grateful, Dante P, for this illuminating and welcome Comment.
DeleteThe Solemn 5th-Century Monastic Chant of The Te Deum (see, above) is my favourite piece of Gregorian Chant and one that I play continually throughout the house. It is the antidote to today's mad world.
Also, very interested in listening to the You Tube recording, which you kindly gave details, of the Benedictine Monks of the Abbey of Saint Maurice and Saint Maur, Clervaux, Luxembourg,
Thank You.