St Ambrose’s Hymn for St Lawrence

The revised breviary issued by St Pius V in 1568 derives from the tradition which the Papal curia followed in the high Middle Ages, formally codified at the beginning of the 13th century in a document known as the Ordinal of Pope Innocent III (1198-1216). As I have noted several times, this tradition was in many ways extremely conservative, much more so than most other Uses of the Roman Rite, and especially in regard to its repertoire of hymns. Thus we find that even some of the most important Roman Saints, such as the martyr Lawrence, whose feast is kept today, take their Office hymns from the commons.

The basilica of St Lawrence in Milan, originally built in the very late 4th and early 5th centuries, but subsequently rebuilt several times. Photo by Nicola de’ Grandi.

The Ambrosian liturgy, on the other hand, is rather more generous in its use of proper hymns, although the hymn for Matins is completely invariable, and on many feasts, including that of St Lawrence, the same proper hymn is said at both Vespers and Lauds. This is due in no small part to a justifiable pride in the fact that it was St Ambrose himself who introduced the use of metrical hymns into the Western liturgy. Here then is his hymn for St Lawrence, an important witness to the early Roman traditions about the great martyr’s life. It appears that none of the great translators of hymns such as Fr Caswall or John Mason Neale ever put their hand to it, so we must be content with my simple prose translation.

Apostolorum supparem,
Laurentium archidiaconum,
Pari corona martyrum
Romana sacravit fides.
   (The faith of Rome has made sacred one nearly equal to the Apostles, the archdeacon Lawrence, with the crown of all the martyrs.)

The Roman basilica of St Lawrence Outside-the-Walls, originally built by the emperor Constantine over his tomb. Photo by our dear friend Agnese, the Roman pilgrim, from the 2018 Roman station church series.

Xystum sequens hic martyrem,
Responsa vatis retulit:
Mœrere, fili, desine:
Sequere me post triduum.
   (Following the martyr Sixtus, he received as it were a prophecy: ‘Cease thy mourning, my son; thou shalt follow me after three days.’)

Nec territus pœnæ metu,
Hæres futurus sanguinis,
Spectavit obtutu pio
Quod ipse mox persolveret.
   (Not frightened by fear of punishment, soon to be heir of (Sixtus’) blood, he looked with dutiful resolve to that which he would soon do.)

Jam tunc in illo martyre
Egit triumphum martyris;
Successor æquus syngrapham
Vocis tenens et sanguinis.
   (Already then in that other martyr, he triumphed as a martyr; a worthy successor, having the promise of his word and his blood.)

St Sixtus Bids Farewell to St Lawrence, ca. 1465, by the Austrian painter Michael Pacher (1435-98); public domain image from Wikimedia Commons.

Post triduum iussus tamen
Census sacratos prodere,
Spondet pie, nec abnuit
Addens dolum victoriæ.
   (After three days, ordered to hand over (prodere - also ‘betray)’ the sacred treasures, he dutifully promises (to do so), and does not refuse, adding artifice to victory.) 

Spectaculum pulcherrimum!
Egena cogit agmina,
Inopesque monstrans prædicat:
Hi sunt opes Ecclesiæ.
   (A most beautiful sight! He gathers the needy crowds, and showing the poor, preaches, ‘These are the riches of the Church!’) 

Lucro piorum perpetes
Inopes profecto sunt opes;
Avarus illusus dolet,
Flammas et ultrices parat.
   (The poor are indeed its everlasting riches, to the benefit of the pious; the greedy man, deceived, prepares the avenging flames.)

St Lawrence Distributing the Treasures of the Church, ca. 1625, by Bernardo Strozzi (1581-1644); public domain image from Wikimedia Commons. 

Fugit perustus carnifex,
Suisque cedit ignibus:
Versate me, martyr vocat,
Vorate coctum, si lubet.
   (The executioner is burned and flees, and yields to his own flames; the martyr calls out ‘Turn me over, eat what is cooked, if you like!’)

The Martyrdom of Saint Lawrence, by Titian, 1567, in the Spanish Royal Monastery of the Escorial.

Patri simulque Filio
Tibique, Sancte Spiritus,
Sicut fuit, sit iugiter
Sæclum per omne gloria. Amen.
   (To the Father and to the Son, and to Thee, o Holy Spirit, as there was, let there always be glory through every age. Amen.)