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The Roman Catholics here are no doubt familiar with the Pentecost Sequence, sung each year at Pentecost. Many of these hymns are written by Thomas Aquinas, though I do not know whether he wrote this one. The source of the hymn was not listed in my Missal this morning.

My question regards whether a similar sequence is sung or chanted at Eastern Catholic or Orthodox Liturgies for Pentecost. If so, is it the same sequence? Is the source an ancient one, if Aquinas (13th century) is not the author?

Just trying to learn some Pentecostal prayers in the Eastern tradition, since I have not attended a DL for Pentecost.

Thanks for your insights, Tammy

I can't be certain, but it is possible that Archbishop Stephen Langton of Canterbury wrote the Pentecost Sequence.
Incognitus

Glory to Jesus Christ!

For the benefit of those individuals who may have not heard this prayer, or may have forgotten it, I copped an English version of the prayer.

I had forgotten it myself!

I suppose one could say it is an antiphonal prayer

This is only one of several translations I have discovered, I was going to type it out from my old Maryknoll Missal until I found this on another website.

Others may wish to comment on this but I have read that many of the Byzantine liturgical prayers for Pentecost emphasize the Trinity considerably, and probably would be suitable for Holy Trinity Sunday (which comes up next week in the Latin calendar). That Sunday is an All Saints Sunday on the Byzantine Calendar.

Michael

Does the Byzantine calendar reserve a Sunday celebration for the Holy Trinity?

No, not exactly.

The feast of Pentecost itself is when we most hymn and praise the Holy Trinity. A read through of the hymns and services of Pentecost (heartily recommended) shows them to be a most complete praising of the Holy Trinity, Father Son & Spirit.

To the best of my knowledge, the Eastern Church does not celebrate dogmas, or teachings in their calendar, as the Western Church does.

All the days in our calendar are commemorations for persons, or celebrations of events in the life of Christ, the Mother of God, the saints, or events in the life of the Church.

Glory to Jesus Christ!

Dear still, small voice, actually in the Byzantine tradition Pentecost Sunday is often referred to as "Trinity Sunday".

The descent of the Holy Spirit is most fully commemorated at Sunday Evening Vespers with the kneeling prayers of the priest praising God and imploring the Spirit to descend. Pentecost Monday is often called "Holy Spirit Day" in the Byzantine tradition.

Today, Monday, May 31st is the Feast of the Holy Trinity. In the Byzantine Churches we sing a traditional hymn to the Holy Spirit.

O Heavenly King, Comforter, Spirit of Trugh, You are everywhere present and fill all things. Treasury of blessings and Giver of Life, come and dwell within us, cleanse us of all stain, and save our souls, O Gracious Lord.

Glory to You, our God, glory to You!

Just for a bit of clarification, Monday is "Holy Spirit Day" in most all other Byzantine traditions. Pentecost Sunday is likewise referred to as "Trinity Sunday". The texts for Vespers for the eves of each of these days gives insight into this distinction.

The order of naming these days in some Greek Catholic churches was switched after the Synod of Zamosc for really no other reason than to differentiate Greek Catholic observance from Orthodox. The liturgical texts do not support this switching of names, either.

The 50th day after Pascha is actually Monday, which starts with Sunday night Vespers (the Kneeling Vespers).

Thanks to all of you for your information. Since I only get to Divine Liturgy a handful of times each year, I don't get the full spectrum of feast days, etc. The rest of the time, I am still RC. Maybe someday more frequent opportunities for Byzantine worship will come along. Yesterday at the Mass for Pentecost we sang a hymn proclaiming that the Holy Spirit "doth from them (Father and Son) both proceed." I sort of choked over the words, wishing once again for a complete union of the Church. I do believe that the desire in our hearts for this union is itself a prayer that God sees and appreciates, even if it does leave us feeling somewhat pained. I have to believe that someday it will all be resolved that here on earth we will be one.

I particularly enjoy listening to Mahler's 8th Symphony, the first part contains the whole Hymn "Veni Creator Spiritus". I was wondering if this anthem is also from pentecost 8it's a Roman Catholic anthem for sure). Mahler was a convert from Judaism to Catholicism.

Glory to Jesus Christ!

The hymn "Veni Creator Spiritus" is the hymn in the pre-Vatican II Roman Rite assigned to the I and II Vespers of Pentecost, and the Office of Terce on that day as well. (In the new Liturgy of the Hours, it is assigned also to the Vespers of the days of the Pentecost Novena, i.e., from Friday after Ascension through Pentecost itself.) It is often ascribed to the cleric Hrabanus Maurus, abbot of Fulda and Archbishop of Mainz (+856).

The problematic stanza is number 6:

Per te sciamus da Patrem,
Noscamus atque Filium,
Teque utriusque Spiritum
Credamus omni tempore.

"Through thee may we the Father know,
Teach us the Son as well to know,
And you, the Spirit OF THEM BOTH may we
Believe in for all eternity."

It certainly is capable of an orthodox understanding, but the phrasing is difficult, and made more so in some current translations, such as:

"Be this our firm
Unchanging creed:
That Thou dost from
Them BOTH proceed."

In RE: Veni Sancte Spiritus, the sequence for the Mass of Pentecost in the current Roman Rite (which was sung every day in the Octave before the revisions of Vatican II):

Authorship is attributed to many people. "The most likely, according to scholarly sources, is Pope Innocent III, made by Ekkehard V in his "Vita S. Notkeri", written about 1220. Ekkehard, a monk of St. Gall, says that his abbot, Ulrich, was sent to Rome by Frederick II, conferred with the pope on various matters, and was present at the Mass of the Holy Spirit celebrated before the Holy Father. The sequence of the Mass was Sancti Spiritus adsit nobis gratia". Hereupon Ekkehard remarks (what he probably learned from Abbot Ulrich himself on his return to St. Gall) that the pope himself "had composed a sequence of the Holy Spirit, namely Veni Sancte Spiritus". The older sequence yielded but gradually to its rival, which was almost universally assigned to one or more days within the octave." (quoted from the New Catholic Encyclopedia)

(Prof.) J. Michael Thompson
Byzantine Catholic Seminary
Pittsburgh, PA 15214

Dear Professor Thompson,

Thank you for the information! I suppose this stanza of the hymn was composed in reaction to the Filioque controversy, at least to some degree. In Christ, Tammy

Hmm.

Kind of reminds me of:

Genitori Genitoque
laus et iubilatio
salus, honor, virtus quoque
sit et benedictio;
Procedenti ab utroque
compar sit laudatio

"To the Generator and the Generated
be praise and jubilation,
well-being, honor, also might
and blessing;
To the One Proceeding from both
may equal praise be given"

Of course the Latin is much more eloquent than my bald and literal translation. But you get the idea. This is the final verse of St. Thomas Aquinas's Pange Lingua. The last two verses are sung at every Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament; all of the verses are sung on Holy Thursday while the Blessed Sacrament is being carried in procession to the Altar of Repose.

I am a firm believer that the Liturgy is the primary bulwark of the Church's beliefs. I'm sure most of you will agree with me there. It seems to me that the Filioque has been confirmed by the Church in her Liturgy for so long that it cannot be simply explained away or removed. And I certainly do not choke over it (sorry Tammy ).

In ICXC

LatinTrad

Dear LatinTrad,

That's OK! The filioque issue has been around a long time, and with the great confusion even among the theologically trained people on both sides, I don't foresee a simple solution that will erase the centuries of duress. I'm a rather traditional Roman as well, standing behind the Pope on all of the media's so-called "hard issues."

I think we owe a much greater debt to the cause of unity with the Eastern Churches than we do to the media or the protestants. With the East, I believe we will find full communion eventually. With the protestants, the work will be much more difficult. As for the media.....well, that's a story for another eon. God Bless, Tammy

P.S.

Dear LatinTrad,

Just a reminder that the hymn you are quoting post-dates the filioque addition, or was written in response to its origins. I would wonder if there was not a bit of politics mingled with the prayer.

I love these old latin hymns used for benediction, etc. They are glorious and usually give me cold chills. Tammy