Conditor Alme Siderum

Today's carol is another medieval Latin hymn dating back to the sixth or seventh century which forms part of the Catholic Vespers service during Advent. The Hymns and Carols of Christmas website has a traditional English version with MIDI files and a PDF file of the sheet music, as well as a more modern English version. The Preces Latinae website also has an English translation.

You can also find a Baroque musical setting by J. Titelouze online, with MIDI file and PDF file of the sheet music. There is an MP3 file available at the Virtually Baroque website.

Conditor alme siderum,
aeterna lux credentium,
Christe, redemptor omnium,
exaudi preces supplicum.

Qui condolens interitu
mortis perire saeculum,
salvasti mundum languidum,
donans reis remedium.

Vergente mundi vespere,
uti sponsus de thalamo,
egressus honestissima
Virginis matris clausula.

Cuius forti potentiae
genu curvantur omnia;
caelestia, terrestria
nutu fatentur subdita.

Te, Sancte, fide quaesumus,
venture iudex saeculi,
conserva nos in tempore
hostis a telo perfidi.

Sit, Christe, rex piissime,
tibi Patrique gloria
cum Spiritu Paraclito,
in sempiterna saecula.

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