I was wondering whether latin words could be used in the Anglican church as I wanted to compose a setting of the Sanctus. The following section from Father Timothy Dalton's blog seems to say it's OK and I've found a church in the North of England that is very keen on it. So with that in mind I've used the following words -
Sanctus, sanctus, dominus deus sabaoth
Plenisunt caeli et terra gloria
Hosanna in Excelsis
Hosanna in Excelsis
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord
Hosanna in the highest
Hosanna in the highest
This is what Father Timothy had to say;
42 Of the language of divine service
1. (1) Subject to the following provisions of this Canon, authorized
forms of services shall be said or sung in English.
(2) In the provinces of Canterbury and York outside England
authorized forms of service may be said or sung in the vernacular.
2. Authorized forms of service may be said or sung in Latin in the
following places –
Provincial Convocations
Chapels and other public places in university colleges and halls
University churches
The colleges of Westminster, Winchester and Eton
Such other places of religious and sound learning as custom allows or the bishop or other the Ordinary may permit
Except for musical arrangements of canticles and eucharistic propers and such, I wonder if this has ever been done. Has it been a common practice? Was it once upon a time, when Latin was more common at the university? I know it is still a technical requirement for ordination in England and Canada, according to the Prayer Book, that they be "learned in the Latin tongue." I know they used to recite the table blessing at Nashotah in Latin and I assume that was common in England around the same era.
Anyone know details about Latin liturgies from the Prayer Book in actual practice?
Just in case anyone was wondering what the words of the Sanctus mean - here's what Wikipedia has to say...oh and I just want to add that I find something very moving about the fact that whilst I am singing Sanctus - my Jewish friend up the road is singing the same thing - Kadosh Kadosh Kadosh Adonai Tz'vaot Melo Kol Haaretz Kevodo.
The Sanctus (Latin for holy) is a hymn from Christian liturgy, forming part of the ordinary of the mass. In Western Christianity, the Sanctus is sung (or said) as the final words of the Preface of the Eucharistic Prayer, the prayer of consecration of the bread and wine. The preface, which alters according to the season, usually concludes with words describing the praise of the worshippers joining with the angels, who are pictured as praising God with the words of the Sanctus:
- Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus
- Dominus Deus Sabaoth.
- Pleni sunt caeli et terra gloria tua.
- Hosanna in excelsis.
- Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini.
- Hosanna in excelsis.[1]
The first part of the Sanctus is adapted from Isaiah 6:3, which describes the prophet Isaiah's vision of the throne of God surrounded by six-winged, ministering seraphim. A similar representation found in Revelation 4:8 appears to be the basis of the Trisagion, with which the Sanctus should not be confused. In Jewish liturgy, the verse from Isaiah is uttered by the congregation during Kedusha, a prayer said during the cantor's repetition of the Amidah (18 Benedictions) before the opening of the ark:
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- Kadosh Kadosh Kadosh Adonai Tz'vaot
- Melo Kol Haaretz Kevodo.
The text of the second part, beginning with the word Benedictus (Latin for "Blessed"), is taken from Matthew 21:9, describing Jesus' Palm Sunday entry into Jerusalem.
The Sanctus has been set to numerous plainchant melodies, many of which are given in the Roman Missal, and many more composers have set it to more complex music. It constitutes a mandatory part of any mass setting.
In the Tridentine Mass the priest joins his hands while saying the word "Sanctus" and then, bowing, continues to recite the whole of the Sanctus in a lower voice, while a small bell is rung; then, on reaching the words "Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini", he stands erect again and makes the Sign of the Cross.[2] He then continues immediately with the Canon of the Mass, while the choir, if there is one, sings the Sanctus, pausing for the Consecration and continuing with the Benedictus part afterwards. As a result of this division, the Sanctus is sometimes called[who?] the Sanctus-Benedictus.
In the Mass as revised after the Second Vatican Council, the only ceremony prescribed for the priest is to join his hands. He and the people sing or recite together the whole of the Sanctus, before the priest begins the Eucharistic Prayer.
In the Roman Catholic church, an indulgence of 100 days is associated with the Sanctus when prayed once a day together with the Trisagion, with a contrite heart to adore the Holy Trinity.[3]
[edit]Translated versions
1973 International Commission on English in the Liturgy English version
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- Holy, holy, holy Lord,
- God of power and might,
- heaven and earth are full of your glory.
- Hosanna in the highest.
- Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
- Hosanna in the highest.
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