Worship Supplement ‎#741b

741b. The Victimae Paschali Celebration

Choir:
1 Christians, to the Paschal Victim
Offer your thankful praises!
2 A Lamb the sheep redeemeth:
Christ who only is sinless,
Reconcileth sinners to the Father.
3 Death and life have contended
In that combat stupendous:
The Prince of life, who died, reigns immortal.

Congregation:
Christ is arisen
From the pangs, the prison.
So let our joy rise full and free,
Christ our Comfort true will be,
Kyrieleis. (Lord, have mercy.)

Choir:
4 Speak Mary, declaring
What thou sawest wayfaring.
5 "The tomb of Christ, who is living,
The glory of Jesus' resurrection;

6 Bright angels attesting,
The shroud and napkin resting.
7 Yea, Christ, my Hope, is arisen:
To Galilee he goes before you."

Congregation:
Were he not arisen,
Then death were still our prison.
Now, with him to life restored,
We praise the Father of Christ our Lord.
Kyrieleis. (Lord, have mercy.)

8 Choir:
Christ indeed from death is risen,
Our new life obtaining.
Have mercy, Victor King, ever reigning!

Congregation:
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
So let our joy rise full and free,
Christ our Comfort true will be.
Kyrieleis. (Lord, have mercy.)

Text Information

• First Line: Christians, to the Paschal Victim
• Title: The Victimae Paschali Celebration
• Author (attributed to): Wipo of Burgundy
• Translator: Martin L. Seltz, 1909-67
• Publication Date: 1969
• Topic: The Christian Year: Eastertide
• Source: Sequence, 11th century; Trans. comp. Anonymous German hymn, c. 1100
• Notes: The choir stanzas and the congregation stanzas may be used as two separate hymns. - German: Christ ist erstanden. - Latin: Victimae paschali

Tune Information

• Name: CHRIST IST ERSTANDEN
• Meter: Irregular
• Key: a minor
• Source: 12th-century tune, Wittenberg, 1533