Tibi Christe Splendor Patris

This hymn is used for the Vespers & Matins on the Feast of St. Michael (Sept. 29) in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Breviary . It is used for Lauds on the same Feast in the Ordinary Form. I was also used for Vespers I (what would be Vespers II was Vespers for St. Jerome) and Matins on the Feast of St. Michael in the Sarum Breviary.

Tibi Christe splendor Patris,
Vita, virtus cordium,
In conspectu Angelorum
Votis, voce psallimus:
Alternantes concrepando(1)
Melos damus vocibus.

*Collaudamus venerantes
Omnes cæli milites;
Sed præcipue primatem
Cælestis exercitus;
Michaelem, in virtute
Conterentem zabulum(2).

Quo custode procul pelle,
Rex Christe piissime,
Omne nefas inimici:
Mundo corde et corpore
Paradiso redde tuo
Nos sola clementia.

Gloriam Patri melodis
Personemus vocibus:
Gloriam Christo canamus,
Gloriam Paraclito:
Qui trinus, et unus Deus
Exstat ante sæcula. Amen.

Words: attr. Rabanus Maurus, ca. 9th C.
Tune: “Tibi Christe Splendor Patris” Gregorian Chant, Mode II, traditional.
Meter: 87.87.87

(1)The Hymnale Secundum Usum Insignis Ac Praeclarae Ecclesiae Sarisburiensis (1850) has this as “concrepantes”.
(2)Zabulon in the Sarum Use.

*This verse takes the following form on the Feast of St. Raphael:

Collaudamus venerantes
Omnes cæli principes,
Sed præcipue fidelem
Medicum, et comitem
Raphaelem, in virtute
Alligantem dæmonem.

*The Thesaurus Hymnologicus indicates that in some breviaries it takes the following form for St. Gabriel:

Collaudamus venerantes
Omnes cæli milites,
Sed praesertim Gabrielem
Dei Patris nuntium
Ad Mariam, atque verbi
Incarnandi pronubum.

*And it takes this form in the Ordinary form:

Collaudamus venerantes
inclitos archangelos,
Sed præcipue primatem
Cælestis exercitus,
Michaelem, in virtute
Conterentem Satanam.

The hymn takes the following form in Pope Urban VIII’s 1632 reform of the Breviary:

Te Splendor, et Virtus Patris,
Te vita, Iesu, cordium,
Ab ore qui pendent tuo,
Laudamus inter Angelos.

Tibi mille densa millium
Ducum corona militat:
Sed explicat Victor Crucem,
Michael salutis Signifer.

Draconis hic dirum caput
In ima turbat Tartara,
Ducemque cum rebellibus,
Cælesti ab Arce fulminat.

Contra Ducem superbiæ
Sequamur hunc nos Principem,
Ut detur ex Agni Throno
Nobis corona gloriæ.

Patri, simulque Filio,
Tibique sancte Spiritus
Sicut fuit, sit iugiter
Sæclum per omne gloria. Amen.

Tune: “Te Splendor Et Virtus Patris” Gregorian Chant, Mode IV, traditional.
Meter: 88.88

This hymn has been translated into English as the following:
O Jesu! Life-Spring of the Soul!
Jesu, Brightness of the Father!
Thee, O Christ, The Father’s Splendour