Pentecost Sequence of St. Notker

Translated by John Mason Neale

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Shower of Pentecost Rose Petals • The Pantheon, Rome

The grace of the HOLY GHOST be present with us;

And make our hearts a dwelling place to itself ;

And expel from them all spiritual wickedness.

Merciful SPIRIT, Illuminator of men,

Purge the fearful shades of our mind.

O holy Lover of thoughts that are ever wise,

Of Thy mercy pour forth Thine Anointing into our senses.

Thou purifier of all iniquities, O SPIRIT,

Purify the eye of our inner man,

To the end that the FATHER of all things may be seen by us,

He, Whom the eyes of none
save the pure in heart can behold.

Thou didst inspire the Prophets to chant aforehand
their glorious heralding of CHRIST.

Thou didst confirm the Apostles,
so that they shall bear CHRIST's glorious trophy
through the whole world.

When, by His Word,
GOD made the system of heaven, earth, seas,

Thou didst stretch out Thy Godhead over the waters,

and didst cherish them, O SPIRIT!

Thou dost give virtue to the waters to quicken souls ;

Thou, by Thine Inspiration, grantest to men to be spiritual.

Thou didst unite the world,
divided both in tongues and rites, O LORD !

Thou recallest idolaters
to the worship of GOD, best of Masters !

Wherefore of Thy mercy hear us
who call upon Thee, HOLY GHOST :

Without Whom, as the faith teaches,
all our prayers are in vain, and unworthy of the ears of GOD.

Thou, O SPIRIT, Who by embracing the Saints of all ages,
dost teach them by the impulse of Thy Divinity ;

Thyself, by bestowing on the Apostles of CHRIST
a gift immortal, and unheard of from all ages,

Hast made this day glorious.

+Alleluya!