Hail, True Victim, Life and Light NLPHB 83

This is another hymn set to AVE VIRGO VIRGINUM, but this is a new text to me.

That said it is very old: a translation of a C13 text by John Peckham, Archbishop of Canterbury – when they were still good Catholics – and translated by Ronald Knox only a century or so ago.

There is more variation than usual in the texts I have found and I have firstly given the words from this hymnal below. These lyrics are rather more convoluted than most hymn texts and require so much analysis to divine its meaning (something Eucharistic), that it hard to see how it can succeed as a hymn. Maybe it made more sense in Latin.

Nonetheless, I had yet another go at the tune and I think each time the organ backing is a little less annoying:

1 Hail, true Victim, life and light unto sinners lending;

Every older form and rite has in thee it’s ending.

Spotless in the Father’s sight evermore ascending,

Holy Church in bitter fight evermore befriending.

2 Hail true Manna from the sky, Israel never knew thee;

Pilgrims, for the day’s supply, daily homage do thee.

When our souls in sickness lie, yields that sickness to thee;

Christians, when they come to die, live immortal through thee.

3 Hail, Christ’s Body, gift he made, his own death forshowing,

(Godhead under earthly shade like a jewel glowing);

Sacred mem’ries, ne’er to fade, on his Church bestowing,

When to earth farewell he bade, to his passion going.

4 Plead, true Victim, in our stead to the Father crying,

Thou, thy children’s daily bread, daily health supplying.

Banquet for the exile spread, grant us life undying;

May our love from thine be fed, self and sense denying!

This is another commonly sited text:

1 Hail, true Victim, life and light
Unto sinners lending,
Ev’ry older form and rite
Hath in Thee it’s ending.
Spotless in the Father’s sight,
Evermore ascending,
Holy Church in bitter fight
Evermore befriending.

2 Jesus, truly in this place,
God and man resideth;
Him no shadow doth replace,
Him no rent divideth.
Very flesh, although His face,
Glorified, He hideth;
Garnered in this little space
All of Christ abideth.

3 Plead, true Victim, in our stead,
To the Father crying,
Thou, Thy children’s daily bread,
Daily health supplying;
Banquet for the exile spread,
Grant us life undying:
May our love from Thine be fed,
Self and sense denying!