This Saturday is the feast of St Peter and St Paul. So I started hunting for a hymn for them. If you would like to pursue that, This Post looks great.
Instead I got sidetracked with a hymn for priest saints, which should be alright for the feast too.
Who are these like stars appearing, These before God’s throne who stand? Each a golden crown is wearing; Who are all this glorious band? Alleluia! Hark, they sing, Praising loud their heav’nly King.
These are they who have contended For their Saviour’s honour long, Wrestling on till life was ended, Following not the sinful throng; These who well the fight sustained, Triumph through the Lamb have gained.
These, your priests, have watched and waited, Offering up to Christ their will; Soul and body consecrated, Day and night to serve Him still: Now in God’s most holy place Blest they stand before His face.
More verses here but check the slight change in the last verse. I’m going with “your priests” from Fr Paul Newton’s hymn book Pange Lingua. I think it might be a case of Catholics adapting a Protestant hymn! Good to see it works both ways.
The tune is called All Saints. Get your sheet music and karaoke backing tracks from smallchurchmusic.com.
As for recordings, the tune is so cool, the organist tends to put the pedal to the metal and drown out the congregation. Which is fabulous when you’re singing along, but for learning the tune, you might like this one – different words.
Excerpts from When the Patriarch was returning:
Wondrous gift! The Word who fashioned All things by His might divine, Bread into His Body changes, Into His own Blood the wine; What though sense no change perceives, Faith admires, adores, believes.
He who once to die a Victim On the Cross did not refuse, Day by day upon our altars, That same Sacrifice renews; Through His holy Priesthood’s hands, Faithful to His last commands.
I have that down as an offertory, but might make a fine recessional for this Sunday.
And, of course, now, at the end, I stumble across the perfect article Not Your Grandmother’s—or Your Mother’s—Eucharistic Hymn.
I hope this tune adorns your internal soundtrack now for the weekend.