PRO TEMPORE

VICTIMAE PASCHALI LAVDES

Praises to the Paschal Victim

Victimae Paschali Laudes, attributed to Wipo of Burgundy (d. 1048), is the oldest of the four sequences retained in the 1570 Missal. Its dramatic dialogue 'Dic nobis Maria, quid vidisti in via?' addressed to Mary Magdalene gave rise to medieval Easter plays. The climactic line 'Mors et vita duello conflixere mirando' (Death and life contended: combat strangely ended!) celebrates Christ's victory.

LATINE
Victimae paschali laudes
immolent Christiani.
Agnus redemit oves:
Christus innocens Patri
reconciliavit peccatores.
Mors et vita duello
conflixere mirando:
dux vitae mortuus,
regnat vivus.
Dic nobis Maria,
quid vidisti in via?
Sepulcrum Christi viventis,
et gloriam vidi resurgentis.
Angelicos testes,
sudarium, et vestes.
Surrexit Christus spes mea:
praecedet suos in Galilaeam.
Scimus Christum surrexisse
a mortuis vere:
tu nobis, victor Rex, miserere. Amen. Alleluia.
ENGLISH
Christians, to the Paschal Victim
offer sacrifice and praise.
The sheep are ransomed by the Lamb;
and Christ, the undefiled,
hath sinners to His Father reconciled.
Death with life contended:
combat strangely ended!
Life's own Champion, slain,
yet lives to reign.
Tell us, Mary:
say what thou didst see upon the way.
The tomb the Living did enclose;
I saw Christ's glory as He rose!
The angels there attesting;
shroud with grave-clothes resting.
Christ, my hope, has risen:
He goes before you into Galilee.
That Christ is truly risen
from the dead we know.
Victorious King, Thy mercy show! Amen. Alleluia.
NOTA
FONS
Wipo of Burgundy (d. 1048); Missale Romanum
USUS
Sequence at Mass, Easter Sunday through Easter Octave
CONTEXT
The dramatic question 'Dic nobis Maria' addressed to Mary Magdalene gave rise to medieval Easter plays. One of four sequences in the 1962 Missal.