O Zion, open wide thy gates

Representative Text

1 O Zion, open wide thy gates,
let symbols disappear;
a priest and victim, both in one,
the Truth himself, is here.

2 Aware of hidden deity,
the lowly Virgin brings
her newborn babe, with two young doves,
her humble offerings.

3 The agèd Simeon sees at last
his Lord, so long desired,
and Anna welcomes Israel's hope,
with holy rapture fired.

4 But silent knelt the mother blest
of the yet silent Word,
and pondering all things in her heart,
with speechless praise adored.

5 All glory to the Father be,
all glory to the Son,
all glory, Holy Ghost, to thee,
while endless ages run.

Source: CPWI Hymnal #771a

Author: Jean-Baptiste de Santeul

Santeüil, Jean-Baptiste de, was born in Paris of a good family on May 12, 1630. He was one of the regular Canons of St. Victor, at Paris, and, under the name of Santolius Victorinus, was distinguished as a writer of Latin poetry. Many of his hymns appeared in the Cluniac Breviary 1686, and the Paris Breviaries 1680 and 1736, and several have been translated into English, and are in common use in Great Britain and America. He was very jocose in disposition and singular in his habits. When on a journey he died at Dijon, Aug. 5, 1697. His Hymni Sacri et Novi were published at Paris in 1689, and again, enlarged, in 1698. [George Arthur Crawford, M.A.] --John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)  Go to person page >

Translator: Edward Caswall

Edward Caswall was born in 1814, at Yately, in Hampshire, where his father was a clergyman. In 1832, he went to Brasenose College, Oxford, and in 1836, took a second-class in classics. His humorous work, "The Art of Pluck," was published in 1835; it is still selling at Oxford, having passed through many editions. In 1838, he was ordained Deacon, and in 1839, Priest. He became perpetural Curate of Stratford-sub-Castle in 1840. In 1841, he resigned his incumbency and visited Ireland. In 1847, he joined the Church of Rome. In 1850, he was admitted into the Congregation of the Oratory at Birmingham, where he has since remained. He has published several works in prose and poetry. --Annotations of the Hymnal, Charles Hutchins, M.A. 1872… Go to person page >

Text Information

First Line: O Zion, open wide thy gates
Latin Title: Templi sacratas pande, Sion, fores
Author: Jean-Baptiste de Santeul
Translator: Edward Caswall
Meter: 8.6.8.6
Language: English
Copyright: Public Domain

Tune

BEDFORD (Wheal)


BRISTOL (Ravenscroft)


BANGOR (Tansur)

Traditionally used for Montgomery's text and for Peter Abelard's "Alone Thou Goest Forth, O Lord," BANGOR comes from William Tans'ur's A Compleat Melody: or the Harmony of Syon (the preface of which is dated 1734). In that collection the tune was a three-part setting for Psalm 12 (and for Psalm 11 i…

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The Cyber Hymnal #5553

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CPWI Hymnal #771b

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CPWI Hymnal #771a

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The Hymnal 1982 #257

Include 18 pre-1979 instances
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