Ave verum corpus

The Elevation of the Host

A short Eucharistic hymn dating from the 14th century and attributed to Pope Innocent VI (d 1362). During the Middle Ages it was sung at the elevation of the Host during the consecration. It was also used frequently during Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. The text below is one of the four variants of the hymn that have come down to us.

Settings by composers

Gregorian Chant, unison Luigi Bordèse, SA, piano or organ Dominico Brunetti, SSAATTB or SAATTBB, a cappella William Byrd, ATBB or SATB, a cappella Jean de Castro, ST, a cappella Antonio Cosimetti, SSAATTBB Christoph Dalitz, SSA, TTB, or SATB, organ Frédéric Debons SAB Johan De Wael, SATB, a cappella or organ Edward Elgar, SATB with soprano solo, organ Gabriel Fauré, SA or TB, organ Mariano Garau SAB, a cappella SATB, a cappella Charles H. Giffen, SSATBB, a cappella Charles Gounod, SATB, organ ad lib. Alexandre Guilmant, SATB, organ

Josquin des Prez á 3, SAT, a cappella á 5, SATTB, a cappella Charles Hiestand, SATB, a cappella Torben Klaes, SATB, basso continuo Orlando di Lasso, SSATTB, a capella Jacques-Nicolas Lemmens, TTBB Franz Liszt, SATB, a cappella Gonçalo Lourenço, SAATTBB, a cappella Nycholas Maia, SATB, a cappella Jorge Moreira, SATB, a cappella Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, SATB (also SSAA, TTBB arrangements), strings and organ continuo Michael J. Oczko, SATB with solo soprano, a cappella Paolo Pandolfo, SATB, organ Susan Partlan, SATB, a cappella Robert Lucas de Pearsall, SATB, a cappella

Lorenzo Perosi, AB, organ Pascal Picard, SATB, a cappella Peter Philips, SSATB, a cappella Josef Rheinberger, SATB, a cappella Gene Ryan, SATB, a cappella Camille Saint-Saëns in D major for SSAA in E-flat for SATB, a cappella Fábio Soldá, SATB, string ensemble or piano Hristo Tsanoff Ave verum corpus Christi I., Alto solo + TTBB, organ Ave verum corpus Christi II., Tenor solo + SSAA, organ Ave verum corpus Christi III., SATB, organ Enrico Vercesi, SATB, string quartet, oboe Ludovico da Viadana, TTBB, a cappella Samuel Webbe, SA, organ Gaspar van Weerbeke a 4, with closing lines of Salve Regina

Other settings possibly not included in the manual list above

• Jacques-Louis Battmann — Ave verum
• Ernest Chausson — Ave verum, Op. 6, No. 2
• Richard Dering — Ave verum corpus
• Anne-Marie Forbes — Ave verum
• Giulio Cesare Gabussi — Ave verum corpus
• Mariano Garau — Ave verum 2017
• Mariano Garau — Ave verum 2020
• Mariano Garau — Ave verum 2020 SAB
• Charles Gounod — Ave verum III
• Charles Gounod — Ave verum, CG 104
• Charles Gounod — Ave verum, CG 142
• Charles Gounod — Ave verum, CG 155
• Charles Gounod — Ave verum, CG 84a
• Charles Gounod — Ave verum, CG 85a1
• Charles Gounod — Ave verum, CG 85a2
• Charles Gounod — Ave verum, CG 93
• Antonio Grimaldi — Ave Verum (Unissimo)
• Antonio Grimaldi — Ave verum no. 2
• Oliver Hayes — Irish Ave verum
• Bernard Hellebusch — Ave verum No. 2
• Bernard Hellebusch — Ave verum No. 3
• Charles Hiestand — Ave verum corpus
• Georges Jouanneau — Ave verum corpus
• Firmin Lebel — Ave verum
• Giovanni Battista Martini — Ave verum
• Jorge Moreira — Ave verum corpus
• P. Schuerer O.S.F. — Ave verum
• Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina — Io son ferito
• Louis Di Rocco — Ave verum
• Kathryn Rose — Ave verum corpus
• Gioachino Rossini — Ave verum
• Gene Ryan — Ave verum
• Camille Saint-Saëns — Ave verum à 2 voix égales
• Christoph Straus — Ave verum corpus a 8

Text and translations

Latin text Ave, verum corpus natum de/ex Maria Virgine: vere passum, immolatum in cruce pro homine: cuius latus perforatum unda fluxit [ et ] sanguine: [ or   fluxit aqua et sanguine: ] esto nobis praegustatum, in mortis examine. [ or   mortis in examine. ] [ O dulcis, O pie, O Jesu, Fili Mariae. ] [ or   O clemens, O pie, O dulcis Jesu, Fili Mariae. ] [ or   O Jesu dulcis, O Jesu pie, O Jesu Fili Mariae. ] [ Miserere mei. Amen. ] [ or   Tu nobis miserere mei. Amen. ]

English translation Hail the true body, born of the Virgin Mary: You who truly suffered and were sacrificed on the cross for the sake of man. From whose pierced flank flowed water and blood: Be a foretaste for us in the trial of death. [O sweet, O merciful, O Jesus, Son of Mary.] [Have mercy on me. Amen.]

Metrical translation I   Jesu, Word of God Incarnate, of the virgin Mary born, On the cross thy sacred body for us men with nails was torn Cleanse us, by thy blood and water Streaming from thy pierced side; Feed us with thy body broken, Now in death's agony! O Jesu, hear us Son of Mary.

Metrical translation II   Jesu, Lamb of God, Redeemer, born the virgin Mary's Son, who upon the cross a victim hast man's salvation won. From whose side, which man had pierced flow'd the water and the blood, by thy sacred body broken, Be in life and death our food. O Jesu, be in life and death our food

Portuguese translation Ó verdadeiro corpo do Senhor, nascido para nós da virgem Maria. Que sofreu e foi imolado na cruz pelos homens, de cujo lado perfurado jorra sangue e água. Deixai-nos saborear-vos na hora da nossa morte.

Alternative translation   Salve o verdadeiro corpo nascido da virgem Maria verdadeiramente sofrido e imolado na cruz pelo bem dos homens cujo flanco perfurado manou água e sangue Sejai para nós a primeira prova da experiência da morte.

Spanish translation Salve, verdadero cuerpo, nacido de María Virgen, que fue inmolado en la cruz por los hombres, cuyo lado perforado manó sangre y agua, dejanos degustarte en el trance de la muerte. Dutch translation Die voor de mensheid waarachtig geleden heeft en aan het kruis geslagen is Wiens zijde doorboord is, waaruit bloed heeft gestroomd Degene die voor ons de beproeving van de dood heeft gesmaakt

French translation Salut vrai corps né de la vierge Marie Qui est mort et a été immolé pour les hommes, Dont le côté a été percé et d'où a jailli l'eau et le sang. Sois pour nous un avant-goût de l'heure de notre mort. German translation Gruß dir, wahrer Leib, geboren aus Marias reinem Schoß! Heimzuführen, was verloren, trugst du Kreuz und Todeslos. Von der speerdurchbohrten Seite flossen Blut und Wasser rot. Sei uns Vorgeschmack im Streite, Himmelskraft in Sterbensnot! by Peter Gerloff

Polish translation

Bądź pozdrowione prawdziwe Ciało,
Narodzone z Maryi Dziewicy,
Które prawdziwie cierpiało
W ofierze na krzyżu za człowieka.
Jego bok przebity opłynął krwią i wodą,
Abyśmy go zakosztowali podczas sądu w godzinę śmierci.
O Jezu słodki!
O Jezu, łaskawy!
O Jezu synu Maryi.

Hungarian translation

Üdvözlégy, igazi Test,
ki Szűz Máriától születtél,
valóságosan szenvedtél s feláldoztattál
a keresztfán az emberért!

Kinek átvert oldalából
víz és vér folyt,
Add, hogy téged ízlelhessünk
halálunk megpróbáltatásában is!

Ó édes, ó kegyes, ó Mária Fia, Jézus,
irgalmazz nekem! Amen.

External links

• Get a free IPA transcription of this text.
• German text, adapted to Mozart's music