Sequence 78. St. Remigius

NOctober ist.
OW let all our brethren's reverend gathering
To that reverend bishop, St. Remigius, sing !

Heart and voice, our congregation !
Sing with joy and jubilation
Such a great Confessor's praise :
Let not lip with life be jarring,
So the song, no discords marring.

Shall be heard which we upraise !
After vengeance had for sin,
When because of guilty men
Gaul was ruined utterly,
Did Cilinia produce
This blest Saint Remigius,
That he might its saviour be.

This good bishop's hfe is seen,
From the very cradle e'en,
Full of wonders to have been,
And all virtues' grace ; when old
i6 S. REMIGIUS.

Mater anus concipit,
This her son his mother bore,
As by God ordained before ;
While the blind man sees once more,
Who such marvels had foretold.

Lame men power to walk he giveth j
In the blind their sight reviveth ;
And the devils put to flight :
By his means God renovated
All that had been devastated
By the Vandals' barbarous might.

He, for sanctity a wonder,
Got a fire completely under,
Raging in the town of Rheims :
Nay, this man, renowned o'er all,
Drave beyond the city wall
Satan's legions with the flames.

Wheresoe'er he stepped, the traces
Of his passage marked those places :
This that church doth testify,
Where yet in the vein of flint
This good bishop's blest footprint,
Is presented to the eye.

III. c
iS S. REMIGIUS.

When in baptism's consecration
Clevis sought for sin's lustration,
(Worthy miracle of love !)
By the Holy Spirit given,
Was a vessel brought from heaven
To the bishop by a dove.

Once a maid in Toulouse dwelling.
Crazed, although in form excelling,
By his pious prayer outpoured
Is from death resuscitated,
And, from Satan liberated.

To her parents' care restored.
Hail, thou gem of Holy Orders !

Balm for Gaul's remotest borders !
And the Church's light in gloom !

'Ere thy birth announced from heaven.
Yea, and consecrated even
In the blest Cilinia's womb !

Thou, as bishops' brightest crown.
Pride, and grace, and mirror known,
France's flower, and gem of worth,
Lift thy loving eyes, we pray,
And the multitude survey
Of the Church that is on earth !

While 'mid this world's ocean-surges
Foul foes' might upon us urges,
Calm the sea, the wind repressing,
Lest we be 'mid pangs distressing
Sunk by Satan's subtlety.

Confessor, heaven's King obeying !
Hear thy flock thus humbly praying,
And, made pure from sin, unite us
To that realm of dazzling brightness.

Where both peace and glory be ! Amen.