Stabat Mater

Stabat Mater is a Roman Catholic hymn of the 13th century, attributed to Jacopone da Todi, that meditates on the suffering of Mary, mother of Jesus during his crucifixion. The title is an abbreviation of the first line, Stabat mater dolorosa (The sorrowful mother was standing.)

It has been put to music by many composers, among them Giovanni Battista Pergolesi, Gioacchino Rossini, Antonin Dvorak, Krzysztof Penderecki and Karol Szymanowski.

Words and translation

• STABAT Mater dolorosa
• iuxta Crucem lacrimosa,
• dum pendebat Filius.

• • At, the Cross her station keeping,
  • stood the mournful Mother weeping,
  • close to Jesus to the last.

• Cuius animam gementem,
• contristatam et dolentem
• pertransivit gladius.

• • Through her heart, His sorrow sharing,
  • all His bitter anguish bearing,
  • now at length the sword has passed.

• O quam tristis et afflicta
• fuit illa benedicta,
• mater Unigeniti!

• • O how sad and sore distressed
  • was that Mother, highly blest,
  • of the sole-begotten One.

• Quae maerebat et dolebat,
• pia Mater, dum videbat
• nati poenas inclyti.

• • Christ above in torment hangs,
  • she beneath beholds the pangs
  • of her dying glorious Son.

• Quis est homo qui non fleret,
• matrem Christi si videret
• in tanto supplicio?

• • Is there one who would not weep,
  • whelmed in miseries so deep,
  • Christ's dear Mother to behold?

• Quis non posset contristari
• Christi Matrem contemplari
• dolentem cum Filio?

• • Can the human heart refrain
  • from partaking in her pain,
  • in that Mother's pain untold?

• Pro peccatis suae gentis
• vidit Iesum in tormentis,
• et flagellis subditum.

• • Bruised, derided, cursed, defiled,
  • she beheld her tender Child
  • All with scourges rent:

• Vidit suum dulcem Natum
• moriendo desolatum,
• dum emisit spiritum.

• • For the sins of His own nation,
  • saw Him hang in desolation,
  • Till His spirit forth He sent.

• Eia, Mater, fons amoris
• me sentire vim doloris
• fac, ut tecum lugeam.

• • O thou Mother! fount of love!
  • Touch my spirit from above,
  • make my heart with thine accord:

• Fac, ut ardeat cor meum
• in amando Christum Deum
• ut sibi complaceam.

• • Make me feel as thou hast felt;
  • make my soul to glow and melt
  • with the love of Christ my Lord.

• Sancta Mater, istud agas,
• crucifixi fige plagas
• cordi meo valide.

• • Holy Mother! pierce me through,
  • in my heart each wound renew
  • of my Savior crucified:

• Tui Nati vulnerati,
• tam dignati pro me pati,
• poenas mecum divide.

• • Let me share with thee His pain,
  • who for all my sins was slain,
  • who for me in torments died.

• Fac me tecum pie flere,
• crucifixo condolere,
• donec ego vixero.

• • Let me mingle tears with thee,
  • mourning Him who mourned for me,
  • all the days that I may live:

• Iuxta Crucem tecum stare,
• et me tibi sociare
• in planctu desidero.

• • By the Cross with thee to stay,
  • there with thee to weep and pray,
  • is all I ask of the to give.

• Virgo virginum praeclara,
• mihi iam non sis amara,
• fac me tecum plangere.

• • Virgin of all virgins blest!,
  • Listen to my fond request:
  • let me share thy grief divine;

• Fac, ut portem Christi mortem,
• passionis fac consortem,
• et plagas recolere.

• • Let me, to my latest breath,
  • in my body bear the death
  • of that dying Son of thine.

• Fac me plagis vulnerari,
• fac me Cruce inebriari,
• et cruore Filii.

• • Wounded with His every wound,
  • steep my soul till it hath swooned,
  • in His very Blood away;

• Flammis ne urar succensus,
• per te, Virgo, sim defensus
• in die iudicii.

• • Be to me, O Virgin, nigh,
  • lest in flames I burn and die,
  • in His awful Judgment Day.

• Christe, cum sit hinc exire,
• da per Matrem me venire
• ad palmam victoriae.

• • Christ, when Thou shalt call me hence,
  • by Thy Mother my defense,
  • by Thy Cross my victory;

• Quando corpus morietur,
• fac, ut animae donetur
• paradisi gloria. Amen.

References

This article incorporates text from the public domain Catholic Encyclopedia.