1 Soul of my Savior, sanctify my breast;
Body of Christ, be thou my saving guest;
Blood of my Savior, bathe me in thy tide;
Wash me with water flowing from his side.
2 Strength and protection may thy Passion be;
O Blessed Jesus, hear and answer me;
Deep in thy wounds, Lord, hide and shelter me;
So shall I never, never part from thee.
3 Hear me, Lord Jesus, listen as I pray;
"Lead me from night to never ending day.
Fill all the world with love and grace divine,
And glory, laud, and praise be ever thine."
Source: Breaking Bread (Vol. 39) #196
First Line: | Soul of my Savior, sanctify my breast |
Translator: | J. Hegarty |
Meter: | 10.10.10.10 |
Source: | Latin, 14th cent. |
Language: | English |
Copyright: | Public Domain |
Liturgical Use: | Communion Songs |
Anima Christi sanctifica me. [Holy Communion.] The author of this hymn is unknown, and the earliest date to which it has been assigned is the 14th century. It is found in the very rare Heures a Lusage de Lengres. Imprimé a Troyes chez Jean le Coq, without year or pagination. It is also in the Hortulus Animate, Lyons, 1516; and 1519; Rambach, i. p. 360, and Daniel, i., No. 498.
In the last it is included among the hymns written by unknown authors, before the 16th century, and not inserted by authority in the Offices of any Breviary or Missal. Daniel also gives an additional intercession from the Lengres Hours, which has been ascribed to Ignatius do Loyola. As he was born in 1491, and did not embrace a religious life until 1521, this ascription is certainly an error.
Translations in common use:--
7. Soul of my Saviour, sanctify my breast, is in the St. George's Hymn Book, for use in St. George's Roman Catholic Cathedral, Southwark, 1882, No. 33, ed. by the Rev. Joseph Reeks.
-- Excerpt from John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)