Panis Angelicus

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Panis angelicus
fit panis hominum;
Dat panis caelicus
figuris terminum:
O res mirabilis!
manducat Dominum
Pauper, servus, et humilis.

Te trina Deitas
unaque poscimus:
Sic nos tu visita,
sicut te colimus;
Per tuas semitas
duc nos quo tendimus,
Ad lucem quam inhabitas.
Amen.

Bread of Angels,
made the bread of men;
The Bread of heaven
puts an end to all symbols:
A thing wonderful!
The Lord becomes our food:
poor, a servant, and humble.

We beseech Thee,
Godhead One in Three
That Thou wilt visit us,
as we worship Thee,
lead us through Thy ways,
We who wish to reach the light
in which Thou dwellest.
Amen.

"The Bread of Angels" - this is often used as a Benediction hymn, for obvious reasons. It directs us to contemplate the great mystery of becoming one with Jesus Himself whenever we receive Him. God Himself becomes our nourishment! It then proceeds to ask Jesus for the grace to save our souls, so that we can join the citizens of Heaven, seeing Him forever in "the light in which Thou dwellest".

This is taken from "Sacris Solemniis", written by St. Thomas Aquinas before the year 1274. It is the Matins hymn for Corpus Christi, the great feast of the Body of Christ when the Church turns our attention to the great Gift of the Eucharist. Jesus gave us this precious Gift of Himself so that He
might always be with us.

There are many melodies for this hymn, both Chant and modern. There are at least 3 Chant melodies, 2 modern melodies, and probably many more for this hymn. Whatever the melody, it is a beautiful hymn, worthy of the great Saint Thomas Aquinas -- the Common Doctor of the Church.