Eucharistic Saints
Thomas Aquinas
by Gary Penkala
As we continue with the National Eucharistic Revival, it would be profitable to recall those saints who had a special devotion to the Blessed Eucharist.
Over the next few articles we'll study these saints, their lives, their devotion to the Blessed Eucharist, and music connected to them.
Life
Saint Thomas was a brilliant theologian, a member of the newly-founded Dominican Order, and a doctor of the Church.
He was continually involved in education, from his own in Monte Cassion, Rome, Naples, Cologne and Paris, to the university posts he held in those same locations.
His most influential teacher was fellow Dominican, Saint Albert the Great.
Classmates in Cologne had a derogatory moniker for Thomas.
Saint Albert said, "You call him the dumb ox, but in his teaching, he will one day produce such a bellowing that it will be heard throughout the world."
He wrote numerous books and tracts, his largest and most famous being, Summa theologiæ.
In 1273, he had a mystical, life-changing experience in the chapel of the Dominican convent in Naples.
After this, he ceased writing completely, remearking that all he had written seemed like mere straw to him.
In 1274, he died from injuries sustained on the way the the Second Council of Lyon.
Devotion to the Eucharist
Attesting to Saint Thomas' intense devotion to the Eucharist, he was chosen by Pope Urban IV in 1264 to compose texts for the newly-instituted feast of Corpus Christi.
The feast was a reaction to the weakness of belief in the Real Presence of Chirst in the Eucharist, rampant during the 13th century.
Thomas' beautiful prose and poetry made up the text for the liturgical celebration of the Mass and Office:
- Vesper Hymn — Pange lingua gloriosi, the last two verses of which are Tantum ergo Sacramentum and Genitori Genitoque.
- Matins Hymn — Sacris solemniis, the last two verses of which are Panis angelicus and Te trina Deitas.
- Lauds Hymn — Verbum supernum prodiens, the last two verses of which are O salutaris Hostia and Unitrinoque Domino.
- Mass Sequence — Lauda Sion Salvatorem, two famous verses of which are Ecce panis angelorum and Bone pastor panis vere.
- Others — Adoro te devote and O sacrum convivium.
Related Music
Aquinas: Two Eucharistic Texts (Colin Brumby) —
Saint Thomas Aquinas was commissioned by Pope Urban IV to compose liturgical texts (hymns, antiphons, sequence, etc.) for the new feast of Corpus Christi.
Saint Thomas' hymns for Lauds (Morning Prayer) and Vespers (Evening Prayer) were Verbum supernum prodiens and Pange lingua gloriosi, respectively.
The last two verses of each of these hymns is often excerpted as separate hymns, giving us the familiar texts O salutaris Hostia and Tantum ergo Sacramentum.
Colin Brumby has set these two hymns for solo voice or unison choir.
O salutaris Hostia uses a simple organ accompaniment that doubles the voice line, making this a superb motet for a youth choir.
The range is quite comfortable (middle C to the octave above).
This would serve very well as a motet or solo during Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, or as a communion piece any time.
The second hymn, Tantum ergo Sacramentum, takes the form of a chorale.
The two text verses of Saint Thomas' original hymn are divided so as to give three verses in Brumby's composition.
Slightly wider in range (B below middle C to fourth-line D), this could easily be sung by a low-medium voice or even a mixed unison choir.
The key is e minor, resolving by Picardy third to E Major at the last chord.
This hymn might even be sung at Benediction by the congregation, as an alternative to the tunes Saint Thomas or Pange lingua.
Sacris solemniis (Claudio Casciolini, ed. Timothy Flynn) —
Saint Thomas Aquinas, Dominican doctor of the Church and eminent 13th century theologian, wrote the Office texts for the new feast of Corpus Christi, instituted by Pope Urban IV in 1264.
Sacris solemniis was the hymn he composed for Matins of the feast.
The last two of its seven verses, beginning "Panis angelicus… " and "Te trina Deitas… " are often excerpted for a separate composition.
This octavo uses verses 1, 2, 6 and 7 in a setting by Italian composer Claudio Casciolini (1697-1760).
Casciolini served as Maestro di cappella at the church of San Lorenzo in Damaso (Rome) and was a member of the Accademia di Santa Cecilia in Rome.
His motet Sacris solemniis is homophonic in texture, breaking into some imitative counterpoint on the very last phrase of the verses.
The vocal ranges are extremely comfortable: Soprano (E to D), Alto (Bb to G), Tenor (G to Eb), Bass (C to Bb), making this an easy, yet beautiful, addition to the choir's Eucharistic repertoire.
The translation of text is as follows:
At this our solemn feast let holy joys abound,
and from the inmost breast let songs of praise resound;
let ancient rites depart,and all be new around, in every act, and voice, and heart.
Remember we that eve, when, the Last Supper spread,
Christ, as we all believe, the Lamb, with leavenless bread,
among His brethren shared, and thus the Law obeyed, of all unto their sire declared.
Thus Angels' Bread is made the Bread of man today:
the Living Bread from heaven with figures dost away:
O wondrous gift indeed! the poor and lowly may upon their Lord and Master feed.
Thee, therefore, we implore, O Godhead, One in Three,
so may Thou visit us as we now worship Thee;
and lead us on Thy way, That we at last may see the light wherein Thou dwellest aye.
Tantum ergo Sacramentum (Christopher Bord) —
This concise motet for a cappella SATB choir sets the last two verses of Saint Thomas Aquinas' great Eucharistic hymn Pange lingua gloriosi.
The "Tantum ergo sacramentum …" and "Genitori Genitoque…" verses share the same homophonic modal music.
The meticulous voice leading is crafted such that the lines are superbly singable — and the ranges are well within the comfort limits of the average church choir. Tantum ergo sacramentum would make a beautiful communion piece on any Sunday, and might be particularly appropriate for Holy Thursday or Benediction.
Article written 12 May 2023
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