‘VENI SANCTE SPIRITUS’
Pentecost is the feast of the universal Church which commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles, 50 days after the Resurrection of Christ, on the ancient Jewish festival called the “feast of weeks” or Pentecost (Ex 34:22; Deut 16:10), which marks the end of Passover. Jews celebrate the gift of the law to Moses at Mount Sinai on this day, but we as Catholics celebrate the birth of the Church.
At Pentecost, Peter, Mary, the apostles and their followers were gathered in a room in Jerusalem, where Jews from all over the world were still in town celebrating the end of Passover. At this time, a great wind blew and a flame appeared as a tongue of fire, which split itself into many individual flames above the heads of all those present. The Holy Spirit came upon these people and each began to speak in tongues. Despite the fact many had no common language, they were perfectly able to understand one another.
Others, who were not so blessed, accused those speaking in tongues of being drunk, but Peter arose and addressed the crowd, explaining that it was only 9 o’clock, and that this phenomenon was not intoxication, but rather this was the work of the Holy Spirit, prophesized in the scripture. Peter then called all those present to be baptized and about 3,000 people were baptized that day.
These people were among the first Catholics, and Peter is the first pope of the Church.
The symbols of Pentecost are the flame, wind and the dove, which represent the Holy Spirit. The color of Pentecost is red and the priest wears red vestments on this day. Parishioners are also invited to wear red on this day. Red decorations as well as celebrations are appropriate, similar to any other birthday.
Pentecost is also called Whitsunday, so called from the white garments worn by catechumens remaining after Easter who were baptized during the vigil Mass. Whitsunday dates back to the first century, although there is no evidence that it was observed, as there is in the case of Easter; the passage in 1 Corinthians (16:8) probably refers to the Jewish feast.
— Catholic Encyclopedia, Catholic Online
Did you know?
“Veni Sancte Spiritus” (“Come Holy Spirit”) sometimes called the “Golden Sequence,” is a sequence hymn prescribed in the Roman liturgy for the Masses of Pentecost. A sequence hymn is sung just before the the Alleluia (Gospel acclamation).
It is usually attributed to either the 13th-century Pope Innocent III or to the Archbishop of Canterbury, Cardinal Stephen Langton. (Cardinal Langton was a central figure in the dispute between King John of England and Pope Innocent III that help lead to the issuing of the Magna Carta in 1215, one of the first charters that guaranteed the rights of commoners and restricted the “divine right” of kings. He is also credited with having divided the Bible into the standard arrangement of chapters still used today.)
It is one of only four medieval sequences preserved in the Missale Romanum published in 1570 following the Council of Trent (1545-1563). Before Trent, many feasts had their own sequences. It is still sung today, having survived the liturgical changes following the Second Vatican Council. The other feasts with sequence hymns are: Easter, “Victimae Paschali Laudes” (“To the Paschal Victim give praise”), Corpus Christi, “Lauda Sion” (“Praise O Sion”) and All Souls, “Dies Irae” (“Day of Wrath”).
Veni, Sancte Spiritus,
et emitte caelitus
lucis tuae radium.
Veni, pater pauperum,
veni, dator munerum,
veni, lumen cordium.
Consolator optime,
dulcis hospes animae,
dulce refrigerium.
In labore requies,
in aestu temperies,
in fletu solatium.
O lux beatissima,
reple cordis intima
tuorum fidelium.
Sine tuo numine,
nihil est in homine,
nihil est innoxium.
Lava quod est sordidum,
riga quod est aridum,
sana quod est saucium.
Flecte quod est rigidum,
fove quod est frigidum,
rege quod est devium.
Da tuis fidelibus,
in te confidentibus,
sacrum septenarium.
Da virtutis meritum,
da salutis exitum,
da perenne gaudium.
Amen, Alleluia.
Come, Holy Spirit, come!
And from your celestial home
Shed a ray of light divine!
Come, Father of the poor!
Come, source of all our store!
Come, within our bosoms shine.
You, of comforters the best;
You, the soul’s most welcome guest;
Sweet refreshment here below;
In our labor, rest most sweet;
Grateful coolness in the heat;
Solace in the midst of woe.
O most blessed Light divine,
Shine within these hearts of yours,
And our inmost being fill!
Where you are not, we have naught,
Nothing good in deed or thought,
Nothing free from taint of ill.
Heal our wounds, our strength renew;
On our dryness pour your dew;
Wash the stains of guilt away:
Bend the stubborn heart and will;
Melt the frozen, warm the chill;
Guide the steps that go astray.
On the faithful, who adore
And confess you, evermore
In your sevenfold gift descend;
Give them virtue’s sure reward;
Give them your salvation, Lord;
Give them joys that never end.
Amen. Alleluia.
