Tantum Ergo

A translation over a hundred years old and still used in Catholic churches liturgically renders the hymn thus, in a form which can be sung to the same music as the Latin

Down in adoration falling,
Lo! the sacred Host we hail,
Lo! o'er ancient forms departing
Newer rites of grace prevail;
Faith for all defects supplying,
Where the feeble senses fail.
To the everlasting Father,
And the Son Who reigns on high
With the Holy Ghost proceeding
Forth from Each eternally,
Be salvation, honor, blessing,
Might and endless majesty.
Amen.

V. Thou hast given them bread from heaven.
R. Having within it all Sweetness.

V. Let us pray: O God, who in this wonderful Sacrament left us a memorial of Thy Passion: grant, we implore Thee, that we may so venerate the sacred mysteries of Thy Body and Blood, as always to be conscious of the fruit of Thy Redemption. Thou who livest and reignest forever and ever.

R. Amen.

About the Tantum Ergo

Short History

The "Tantum Ergo" is the last two stanzas of the hymn "Pange Lingua," written by St. Thomas Aquinas around AD 1264. It has been set to music by various composers over the centuries and is traditionally sung during the Feast of Corpus Christi, as well as during Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament.

Meaning

The "Tantum Ergo" is a hymn of praise and reverence for the Eucharist. It emphasizes the mystery of faith in the real presence of Christ in the Eucharistic elements. It's a call for humility before the great mystery of God's physical presence among us.

Original Latin Text

Tantum ergo Sacramentum
Veneremur cernui:
Et antiquum documentum
Novo cedat ritui:
Praestet fides supplementum
Sensuum defectui.

Author's Short Bio

The author of "Tantum Ergo," St. Thomas Aquinas (AD 1225-1274), was an Italian Dominican friar, philosopher, and theologian. He was a prominent scholar of the 13th century and is considered one of the greatest Christian theologians. His most significant work, "Summa Theologica," is a comprehensive exposition of Christian theology. St. Thomas Aquinas was canonized as a saint in the Roman Catholic Church in AD 1323, and his philosophy has had a lasting influence on Western thought. His writing, including hymns like "Tantum Ergo," emphasizes reason and faith in harmony, grounding religious belief in logical argumentation and observation of the natural world.