Stabat Mater

The opening words of two companion hymns, one of which (Stabat Mater Dolorosa) is in liturgical use, while the other (Stabat Mater Speciosa) is not. They celebrate the emotions of Our Lady at the Cross and at the Manger -- Calvary and Bethlehem -- respectively.

Stabat mater dolorosa

The hymn was well known to all classes by the end of the fourteenth century. The Stabat Mater Dolorosa is thought to originate from Franciscan sources in the 13th century. The monk Jacopone da Todi (ca. 1228-1306), Pope Innocentius III (ca. 1160-1216), and the saint Bonaventura (died 1274) are named as the most probable poet, but also the Popes Gregorius and John XII and Bernhard of Clairveaux (died 1135) are mentioned. Of these ascriptions, the only probable ones are those to Innocent III and Jacopone.

Stabat mater speciosa

This is a counterpart version of the poem, which describes the joy of Maria after the birth of Jesus. It is clearly based on one of the "Dolorosa"-versions, but the rhyming is certainly not as good. Nevertheless, the "Speciosa" dates back from the fifteenth century and has also been put to music, for instance by Liszt and Diepenbrock. It was first published in an edition of the Italian poems of Jacopone published at Brescia in 1495 (but Jacopone isn't thought to be the author) but the Speciosa fell into almost complete oblivion until A.F. Ozanam transcribed it from a fifteenth-century manuscript in the Bibliothèque Nationale for his "Poètes Franciscains en Italie au Treizième siècle", Paris, 1852.

Text and translations

Stabat Mater dolorosa

Latin text

1. Stabat Mater dolorosa
Iuxta crucem lacrimosa
Dum pendebat Filius

2. Cuius animam gementem
Contristatam et dolentem
Pertransivit gladius

3. O quam tristis et afflicta
Fuit illa benedicta
Mater unigeniti!

4. Quae moerebat et dolebat,
Pia Mater, dum videbat
Nati poenas incliti

5. Quis est homo qui non fleret,
Matrem Christi si videret
In tanto supplicio?

6. Quis non posset contristari,
Christi Matrem contemplari
Dolentem cum Filio?

7. Pro peccatis suae gentis
Vidit Iesum in tormentis,
Et flagellis subditum.

8. Vidit suum dulcem natum
Moriendo desolatum
Dum emisit spiritum

9. Eia Mater, fons amoris
Me sentire vim doloris
Fac, ut tecum lugeam

10. Fac, ut ardeat cor meum
In amando Christum Deum
Ut sibi complaceam

11. Sancta Mater, istud agas,
Crucifixi fige plagas
Cordi meo valide.

12. Tui nati vulnerati,
Tam dignati pro me pati,
Poenas mecum divide.

13. Fac me tecum, pie, flere,
Crucifixo condolere,
Donec ego vixero.

14. Iuxta crucem tecum stare,
Et me tibi sociare
In planctu desidero

15. Virgo virginum praeclara,
Mihi iam non sis amara
Fac me tecum plangere

16. Fac, ut portem Christi mortem
Passionis fac consortem,
Et plagas recolere.

17. Fac me plagis vulnerari,
Fac me cruce inebriari,
Et cruore Filii

18. Flammis ne urar succensus
Per Te, Virgo, sim defensus
In die iudicii

19. Christe, cum sit hinc exire,
Da per Matrem me venire
Ad palmam victoriae

20. Quando corpus morietur,
Fac, ut animae donetur
Paradisi gloria. Amen

Alternative version of stanza 19

19. Fac me cruce custodiri
Morte Christi praemuniri
Confoveri gratia

Stabat Mater speciosa

Latin text (8a, 8b and 13b have no counterpart in the "Dolorosa") 1. Stabat Mater speciosa
Iuxta foenum gaudiosa
Dum iacebat parvulus

2. Cuius animam gaudentem
Laetabundam et ferventem
Pertransivit iubilus

3. O quam laeta et beata
Fuit illa immaculata
Mater unigeniti!

4. Quae gaudebat et ridebat,
Exultabat cum videbat
Nati partum incliti

5. Quis est, qui non gauderet,
Christi Matrem si videret
In tanto solacio?

6. Quis non posset collaetari,
Piam Matrem contemplari
Ludentem cum Filio?

7. Pro peccatis suae gentis
Vidit Iesum cum iumentis,
Et algori subditum.

8. Vidit suum dulcem natum
Vagientum adoratum
Vili diversorio

8a. Nati Christus in praesepe
Coeli cives canunt laete
Cum immenso gaudio

8b. Stabat senex cum puella
Non cum verbo nec loquela
Stupescentes cordibus

9. Eia Mater, fons amoris
Me sentire vim ardoris
Fac, ut tecum sentiam

10. Fac, ut ardeat cor meum
In amando Christum Deum
Ut sibi complaceam

11. Sancta Mater, istud agas,
Pone nostro ducas plagas
Cordi fixas valide.

12. Tui nati coelo lapsi,
Iam dignati foeno nasci,
Poenas mecum divide.

13. Fac me tecum congaudere
Iesulino cohaerere
Donec ego vixero

13a. In me sistat ardor tui
Puerino fac me frui
Dum sum in exilio

14. Hunc ardorem fac communem,
Ne me facias immunem,
Ab hoc desiderio.

15. Virgo virginum praeclara,
Mihi iam non sis amara
Fac me parvum rapere

16. Fac, ut portem pulchrum fortem
Qui nascendo vicit mortem,
Volens vitam tradere.

17. Fac me tecum satiari,
Nato tuo inebriari,
Stans inter tripudia.

18. Inflammatus et accensus
Obstupescit omnis sensus
Tali decommercio.

19. Fac me nato custodiri
Verbo Christi praemuniri
Conservari gratia.

20. Quando corpus morietur,
Fac, ut animae donetur
Tui nati visio.

External links

The Catholic Encyclopedia
The Stabat Mater, a musical journey through the ages