A Dictionary of Hymnology/Ave verum corpus natum

Ave verum corpus natum. Anon. [Holy Communion.] The text will be found in Daniel, ii. p. 327. Also as No. 213 in Mone's Collection; with the heading, In elevatione Corporis Christi, and the statement that a Reicheuau ms. of the 14th cent says "Pope Innocent composed the following salutation" ("Salutationem sequentem composuit Innocentius Papa"), and "this prayer has three years of indulgences granted by Pope Leo" ("haec oratio habet tres annos indulgentiarum a dom. Papa Leone"). Levis, Anecdota sacra, Turin. 1789, p. 107, gives the text with the variation Esto nobis praestantior virtus in examine, instead of Esto nobis praegustatum mortis in examine. It is in J. M. Horst's Paradisus Animae (cd. Cologne, 1644, p. 321), Sect. V., "De Sacram. Eucharistiae," as a private devotion at the elevation of the Host in the Mass ("sub elevatione"). It is also in Kehrein, No. 157. See Ave Christe Corpus verum, for a cognate hymn at the elevation of the Chalice. [W. A. S.]

Translations in C. U.:—

1. Hail to Thee! true Body sprung. By E. Caswall. 1st pub. in his Lyra Catholica, 1849, p. 249, in 10 lines; and again, slightly altered, in his Hymns & Poems, 1873, p. 162. In the Roman Catholic hymnals the original tr. is generally used. In the People's H., 1807, No. 177, we have a cento from this tr. of Caswall, that by J. R. Beste, and others.

2. Hail, true Body, born of Mary, No. 214 in the Appendix to Hymnal N., 1864, is by H. N. Oxenham, from his Sentence of Kaires and other Poems, 1854 and 1867, somewhat altered.

3. Hail, true Body Incarnated, by W. J. Irons, is No. 67 of his Ps. & Hys. for the Ch., 1873 and 1883. This rendering is specially adapted for Good Friday. 1st pub. in Dr. Irons's Hymns, 1866, No. 113.

4. Hail, true Body! God of heaven. By J. R. Beste, pub. with the Latin text in his Ch. Hys. (Rom. Cath.) Lond. 1849. It may be added that in most of the modern Roman Catholic collections the Latin text is also given, as in this case.

Translation not in C. U.:—

Hall, true Body, horn of Mary. E. B. Pusey, 1848.

[J. J.]