Veni Sancte Spiritus

- Bernard Kirkpatrick

Use: Pentecost
Required Resources: cantor, congregation, organ
Optional Resources: 2nd cantor, unison or 2-part choir
Language: English and Latin

The Golden Sequence Veni Sancte Spiritus is required on Pentecost Sunday. Use of the sequence on that day is not optional, and rather than reading it as a "fourth" lection on that day it is most advisable to sing it. One option, of course, would be the Gregorian chant setting of the Veni Sancte Spiritus as found in the Graduale Romanum. Another would be to use this effective Latin/English setting by Australian composer Bernard Kirkpatrick.

The congregational refrain in 6/8 time uses the Latin text: Veni, veni, veni Sancte Spiritus. The five verses are metrical English settings of the Gregorian chant from the Graduale Romanum. Each verse of the piece combines two stanzas from the original chant, and can be sung by two cantors or two choirs to great effect. A good organ accompaniment and a descant over the refrain complete this piece and make it a suitable selection for your next Pentecost celebration.