Stabat Mater
Origin of Stabat Mater
Stabat Mater (translated from Latin means “The mother was there”) is a 13th-century Catholic hymn attributed to the Franciscan friar Jacopone da Todi. This prayer, which begins with the words Stabat Mater Dolorosa (the Mother was suffering), meditates on the suffering of Mary, the Mother of Jesus, during his crucifixion.
Stabat Mater is one of the literary compositions that has been set to music the most; about 200 different composers. Multiple composers from different eras, genres, styles and musical visions have composed based on this medieval text. Composers include Rossini, Franz Liszt, Krzysztof Penderecki, Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, Francis Poulenc, Domenico Scarlatti, Antonio Vivaldi, Alessandro Scarlatti and Antonín Dvorák, the most famous being Pergolesi.
Text of the Stabat Mater
There was the sorrowful mother
crying next to the cross
from which his Son hung.
his querulous soul,
gloomy and moaning,
pierced by a sword.
How sad and afflicted
the blessed mother was
of the only begotten Son!
He lamented and grieved
and trembled watching suffer
to his divine Son.
What man would not cry
seeing the Mother of Christ
in such great ordeal?
Who wouldn’t be sad
when contemplating the dear Mother
suffering with your son?
For the sins of his people
saw Jesus in torment
and subjected to whipping.
She saw her sweet Son
deliver the spirit
and die helpless.
Mother, source of love,
make me feel all your pain
to cry with you!
make my heart burn
in the love of Christ Lord,
so that it pleases you.
Holy Mary, do it like this!
Engrave the wounds of the Crucified
deep in my heart.
Share with me the sorrows
of your wounded son, who has deigned
to suffer the passion for me.
Make me cry with you
who suffers with the Crucified
as long as i live.
I want to stay with you
near the cross,
and share your pain
Virgin exalted among virgins,
don’t be bitter with me,
make me mourn with you.
Make me endure the death of Christ,
make him share his passion
and contemplate his wounds.
Make his wounds hurt me,
intoxicated by this cross
and for the love of your son.
inflamed and burning,
may it be defended by you, oh Virgin,
Trial day.
Let him be protected by the cross,
strengthened by the death of Christ,
strengthened by grace.
when my body dies
grant it to my soul
the glory of paradise.
Amen.
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