O Magnum Mysterium

 

 

     I sang this chorale in the 500 piece Nebraska All-State Choir of 2001. I simply hadn’t heard anythinglike it in my life. I wasn’t aware that people had felt things so deeply and expressed them so beautiful and with such awe-inspiring, humbling, grandure. I was not aware of the words or meaning. Singing sacred latin text helped me later when I would direct the liturgical music for a Catholic church but here I simlply knew it for the beautiful vowels and consenants and tones that it is.

 

Latin Text

O magnum mysterium,

et admirabile sacramentum,

ut animalia viderent Dominum natum,

jacentem in praesepio!

Beata Virgo, cujus viscera

meruerunt portare

Dominum Christum.

Alleluia.

English translation

O great mystery,

and wonderful sacrament,

that animals should see the new-born Lord,

lying in a manger!

Blessed is the Virgin whose womb

was worthy to bear

Christ the Lord.

Alleluia!