Factus est repénte de cœlo sonus, tamquam adveniéntis spíritus veheméntis, ubi erant sedéntes, allelúja: et repléti sunt omnes Spíritu Sancto, loquéntes magnália Dei, allelúja, allelúja...

Deus, qui hodiérna die corda fidélium Sancti Spíritus illustratióne docuísti: da nobis in eódem Spíritu recta sápere; et de ejus semper consolatióne gaudére. Per Dóminum... in unitáte ejúsdem Spíritus.

Today is the great feast of Pentecost and the Mass is Spiritus Domini replevit orbem terrarum alleluia. The Schola Sainte-Cécile's page for today is here. The libellus for Holy Mass is here and that for Vespers and Benediction of the Most Blessed Sacrament is here.

In 1871, between May 24 and May 26, that is less than two lifetimes ago, the communards in Paris martyred scores of the faithful, including the Archbishop of Paris himself, Mons Georges Darboy. Omnes martyres Dei, orate pro nobis. 

The Roman Martyrology today, for tomorrow May 25, the 8th day before the Kalends of June.

Statio ad Sanctum Petrum

Introitus. Sap. 1, 7. Spíritus Dómini replévit orbem terrárum, allelúja: et hoc quod cóntinet ómnia, sciéntiam habet vocis, allelúja, allelúja, allelúja. Ps. 67, 2. Exsúrgat Deus, et dissipéntur inimíci ejus: et fúgiant, qui odérunt eum, a fácie ejus. ℣. Glória Patri.

Kyrie, Gloria.

Oratio. Deus, qui hodiérna die corda fidélium Sancti Spiritus illustratióne docuísti: da nobis in eódem Spíritu recta sápere; et de ejus semper consolatióne gaudére. Per Dóminum... in unitáte ejúsdem Spíritus.

Léctio Actuum Apostolórum.
Act. 2, 1-11.
Cum compleréntur dies Pentecóstes, erant omnes discípuli pariter in eódem loco: et factus est repéente de cœlo sonus, tamquam adveniéntis spíritus veheméntis: et replévit totam domum, ubi erant sedentes. Et apparuérunt illis dispertítæ linguæ tamquam ignis, sedítque supra síngulos eórum: et repléti sunt omnes Spíritu Sancto, et cœpérunt loqui váriis linguis, prout Spíritus Sanctus dabat éloqui illis. Erant autem in Jerúsalem habitántes Judǽi, viri religiósi ex omni natióne, quæ sub cœlo est. Facta autem hac voce, convénit multitudo et mente confúsa est, quóniam audiébat unusquísque lingua sua illos loquéntes. Stupébant autem omnes et mirabántur, dicéntes: Nonne ecce omnes isti, qui loquúntur, Galilǽi sunt? Et quómodo nos audívimus unusquísque linguam nostram, in qua nati sumus? Parthi et Medi et Ælamítæ et qui hábitant Mesopotámiam, Judǽam et Cappadóciam, Pontum et Asiam, Phrýgiam et Pamphýliam, Ægýptum et partes Líbyæ, quæ est circa Cyrénen, et ádvenæ Románi, Judǽi quoque et Prosélyti, Cretes et Arabes: audívimus eos loquéntes nostris linguis magnália Dei.

Allelúja, allelúja. ℣. Ps. 103, 30. Emítte Spíritum tuum, et creabúntur, et renovábis fáciem terræ. 

Allelúja. [Hic genuflectitur] ℣. Veni, Sancte Spíritus, repletuórum corda fidélium: et tui amóris in eis ignem accénde.

Sequéntia.

Veni, Sancte Spíritus,

et emítte cǽlitus

lucis tuæ rádium.

Veni, pater páuperum;

veni, dator múnerum;

veni, lumen córdium.

Consolátor óptime,

dulcis hospes ánimæ,

dulce refrigérium.

In labóre réquies,

in æstu tempéries,

in fletu solácium.

O lux beatíssima,

reple cordis íntima

tuórum fidélium.

Sine tuo númine

nihil est in hómine,

nihil est innóxium.

Lava quod est sórdidum,

riga quod est áridum,

sana quod est sáucium.

Flecte quod est rígidum,

fove quod est frígidum,

rege quod est dévium.

Da tuis fidélibus,

in te confidéntibus,

sacrum septenárium.

Da virtútis méritum,

da salútis éxitum,

da perénne gáudium.

Amen. Allelúja.

 

Et dicitur cotidie usque ad sequens Sabbatum inclusive.

✠ Sequéntia sancti Evangélii secúndum Joánnem.
Joann. 14, 23-31.
In illo témpore: Dixit Jesus discípulis suis: Si quis díligit me, sermónem meum servábit, et Pater meus díliget eum, et ad eum veniémus et mansiónem apud eum faciémus: qui non díligit me, sermónes meos non servat. Et sermónem quem audístis, non est meus: sed ejus, qui misit me, Patris. Hæc locútus sum vobis, apud vos manens. Paráclitus autem Spíritus Sanctus, quem mittet Pater in nómine meo, ille vos docébit ómnia et súggeret vobis ómnia, quæcúmque díxero vobis. Pacem relínquo vobis, pacem meam do vobis: non quómodo mundus dat, ego do vobis. Non turbátur cor vestrum neque formídet. Audístis, quia ego dixi vobis: Vado et vénio ad vos. Si diligeretis me, gauderetis utique, quia vado ad Patrem:
quia Pater major me est. Et nunc dixi vobis, priúsquam fiat: ut, cum factum fúerit, credátis. Jam non multa loquar vobíscum. Venit enim princeps mundi hujus, et in me non habet quidquam. Sed ut cognóscat mundus, quia díligo Patrem, et sicut mandátum dedit mihi Pater, sic fácio.

Credo.

Offertorium. Ps. 67, 29-30. Confírma hoc, Deus, quod operátus es in nobis: a templo tuo, quod est in Jerúsalem, tibi ófferent reges múnera, allelúja.

Secreta. Múnera, quǽsumus, Dómine, obláta sanctífica: et corda nostra Sancti Spíritus illustratióne emúnda. Per Dóminum... in unitáte ejusdem Spíritus.

Præfatio, Communicantes et Hanc igitur propria.

Vere dignum et justum est, æquum et salutáre, nos tibi semper et ubíque grátias ágere: Dómine sancte, Pater omnípotens, ætérne Deus: per Christum, Dóminum nostrum. Qui, ascéndens super omnes cælos sedénsque ad déxteram tuam, promíssum Spíritum Sanctum hodierna die in fílios adoptiónis effúdit. Quaprópter profúsis gáudiis totus in orbe terrárum mundus exsúltat. Sed et supérnæ Virtútes atque angélicæ Potestátes hymnum glóriæ tuæ cóncinunt, sine fine dicéntes:

Sanctus, Benedictus, Agnus Dei.

Communio. Act. 2, 2 et 4. Factus est repénte de cœlo sonus, tanquam adveniéntis spíritus veheméntis, ubi erant sedéntes, allelúja: et repléti sunt omnes Spíritu Sancto, loquéntes magnália Dei, allelúja, allelúja.

Postcommunio. Sancti Spíritus, Dómine, corda nostra mundet infúsio: et sui roris íntima aspersióne fecúndet. Per Dóminum... in unitáte ejusdem.

The Neumz commentary today is on the Communio, Factus est repente de caelo sonus. Am always pleased to see these instances when the Pauline Rite innovators have chosen to maintain this or that element of the Traditional Rite.

We commemorate tomorrow the Solemnity of Pentecost, the day that the promise of Christ to the apostles that the Father would send the Holy Spirit to guide them in their evangelizing mission was fulfilled. Therefore, it could be said that it is the feast of the Holy Spirit. Pentecost comes from the Greek meaning “fiftieth” (pentecoste). The reason is that Pentecost is the fiftieth day (in Greek, pentecoste hemera) after Easter Sunday (in the Christian calendar). The Holy Spirit is manifested in different ways in the New Testament. Pentecost is a real event as stated in the passage of the Acts of the Apostles which narrates the scene of Pentecost and contains two symbols of the Holy Spirit and his activity, the wind and the fire: “When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability” (Acts of the Apostles 2:1-4). The Solemnity of Pentecost is, therefore, one of the most important in the calendar of the Church. It contains a richness of profound meaning. It also celebrates the universal reign of the Holy Spirit, of whom love is the spiritual fruitfulness of the Church of Christ.

We have chosen at Neumz the communion chant Factus est repente to commemorate this important solemnity, which, like the Introit Spiritus Domini, admirably narrates the story of the coming of the Holy Spirit. The text is taken from fragments of verses 2, 4, and 11, in chapter 2 of the Acts of the Apostles: Factus est repente de caelo sonus advenientis spiritus vehementis, ubi erant sedentes; et repleti sunt omnes Spiritu Sancto, loquentes magnalia Dei, Suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a mighty wind, where they were sitting, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, speaking of the wonderful works of God. The composer has carefully chosen the words of this passage, focusing not on the miracle of eloquence in other languages, but on the fact that filled with the Holy Spirit the apostles, who were sitting, rose up and began to speak of the greatness of God. All thanks to this celestial commotion. This story and what happened is well put in the mouth of the Church at the moment of Communion. The reception of the Eucharist in a certain way renews the miracle. The Love of God takes hold of us like the Apostles and, filled with the Spirit, we too feel in our interior an uncontrollable ardor to sing and to proclaim the wonders of the Lord. We resemble Mary, our Mother, and her Magnificat: quia fecit mihi magna qui potens est, “for the Mighty One has done great things for me” (Luke 1:49). Thus, as on the day of Pentecost, but this time without wind and noise, the Holy Spirit invades the soul, which also, in the silence of thanksgiving, begins to chant the wonders of God.

As for the melody, it is composed in mode VII. It develops around the fifth of the two modal poles Sol-Re, expresses clarity and joy, and sings in the heights of the angelic mode. It is a very lively recitative, even dramatic. All the sensitive reactions provoked by the miracle are present. This communion chant has a very clear musical structure, marked by the two phrases separated by the full-bar: one is Factus est repente which corresponds to the arrival of the Holy Spirit, and the other et repleti sunt which shows the effects of this arrival on the Apostles, both phrases accompanied by alleluias. At first sight, we observe that the two parts are clearly distinguished by the chant. In fact, the alleluias that conclude them have the same melody. The two phrases have a fast, agile beginning, which rises to the dominant, develops around it, and then begins a soft cadence towards the fundamental, with a much more serene and peaceful melodic climate, which stands out for its counterposition with the beginning. The two phrases are like this: the melody, very lively, highlights all the sensitive reactions produced by the coming of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, “suddenly”; “a loud sound”, the suddenness and violence of the impetuous breath that follows. To highlight all these episodes the melody takes advantage of the perfect fifth, Sol-Re, proper to mode VII, both to rise suddenly and to descend suddenly or in a soft cadence in the Sol. With these movements of enthusiasm and strong ardor, the melody manages to transmit and incorporate the assembly of faithful that is celebrating today, in that same outpouring of the “spirit” that the apostles experienced on the day of Pentecost. And this, as is proper to Gregorian chant, is not done in a purely emotional way, but in a truly sacramental way. This is when Gregorian chant reaches its greatest richness in the liturgy.

As we have already noted, the beginning of the piece is lively and agile. Factus est repente de caelo sonus, Suddenly there came a sound from heaven: several successive direct leaps, from the fundamental to the dominant, convey the impression of surprise and emotion, as well as translating the violent wind. In the melodic summit of the piece, Fa-Mi-Fa-Re, in de caelo sonus, the astonishment and admiration in front of the irruption of this celestial sound is chanted. The porrectus flexus of the accent of sonus vibrates agilely but with force, a vibration that extends to the following incise, advenientis spiritus vehementis, as of a mighty wind. Indeed, the melodic movement will revolve around the Re, embellished with the Mi and Do, the wind levitates in the heights of the mode, and blows strongly: note the pes quadratus, Do-Mi, of the accent of Spiritus or the quilismatic movement of vehementis (by the way, the only one in the piece), La-Si-Do Do-Re. The melody settles on the Do to close the incise and from there, in the following incise, ubi erant sedentes; where they were sitting, it begins a staggered descent, a figure of the same descent of the Spirit where the disciples were seated. The melody becomes somewhat more ornate, slower, and more paused to translate the almost motionless attitude of the apostles. This mood is transmitted to the alleluia that concludes this first phrase: peaceful, full of paschal joy that shines with a beautiful melodic arc Sol-Do-Sol.

In the second phrase, et repleti sunt omnes Spiritu Sancto, and all were filled with the Holy Spirit, the melody restarts again with impetus, toward the dominant, with the enthusiasm of the prayerful one to chant the action of the Holy Spirit. It is worth noting the magnificent scandicus with the first articulated note, Do-Re-Mi, of the accent of repleto: the melody is filled with the strength of the breath of the prayerful soul. The melody moves again with lightness and vivacity, as in the beginning, in the heights of the mode, spiritus and Spiritu present a very similar melodic turn: one clearly identifies the spiritus vehementis of the first phrase, Do-Mi Re Do, with the explicit presence of the Holy Spirit in the text, Mi Re Do, but in the second phrase there is a greater majesty. The incise closes with a cadenza on the high Mi, of character of much suspense. In loquentes magnalia Dei, speaking of the wonderful works of God, the presence of the Holy Spirit enters the deepest part of creation: the hearts of the disciples and, from them, little by little, fills all things. All this is expressed in the magnificent fifth Re-Sol, which is the foundation of this incise. After a beautiful turn around the dominant in loquentes, the melody begins a peaceful descent towards the fundamental, it widens in magnalia, and contemplates the wonders of God. The inner state of the disciples prevails, this passage is more a manifestation of how the interior of the soul is, full of serenity, peace, and joy: the low Fa appears for the first and only time, the semitonal interval Si-Do is insisted upon, denoting that closeness with God, of the soul that is filled with the Spirit and chants with loving tenderness the wonders of its Creator.

As for the two final alleluias, the first takes again the enthusiasm and vivacity of the start of the two phrases of this piece (in fact the Graduale Novum indicates a leap of a fourth, Sol-Do, much more joyful than the leap of a third of the Vaticana). The second one already echoed in the piece, is more interior, peaceful, and serene, but full of Easter joy. And thus closes another jewel of the Gregorian repertoire that so magnificently expresses the immensity of the prodigy that the Church celebrates today.

✠    ✠    ✠

Concéde, miséricors Deus, fragilitáti nostræ præsídium; ut, qui sanctæ Dei Genitrícis memóriam ágimus; intercessiónis ejus auxílio, a nostris iniquitátibus resurgámus. Per Christum Dóminum nóstrum.

Deus, a quo sancta desidéria, recta consília, et justa sunt ópera: da servis tuis illam, quam mundus dare non potest, pacem; ut et corda nostra mandátis tuis dédita, et hóstium subláta formídine, témpora sint tua protectióne tranquílla. Per Dóminum.

Deus, qui caritátis dona per grátiam Sancti Spíritus tuórum fidélium córdibus infudísti: da fámulis et famulábus tuis, pro quibus tuam deprecámur cleméntiam, salútem mentis et córporis; ut te tota virtúte díligant, et quæ tibi plácita sunt, tota dilectióne perfíciant. Per Dóminum.

Hic [fons baptismalis, in benedictione in Sabbato Sancto] ómnium peccatórum máculæ deleántur: hic natúra ad imáginem tuam cóndita, et ad honórem sua reformáta princípii, cunctis vetustátis squalóribus emundétur: ut omnis homo, sacraméntum hoc regeneratiónis ingréssus, in veræ innocéntiæ novam infántiam renascátur.
Per Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum, Fílium tuum: Qui ventúrus est judicáre vivos et mórtuos et sǽculum per ignem. R. Amen.

Laus Deo Virginique Matri

Henry du Mont, Louis-Lazare Perruchot, Mgr Jehan Revert, Michel-Richard de Lalande, Marc-Antoine Charpentier, Charles de Courbes, Saint Hilary of Poitiers