The text
1.At the cross her station keeping, Stood the mournful Mother weeping, Close to Jesus to the last.
2. Through her heart, His sorrow sharing, All his bitter anguish bearing, Now at length the sword had pass’d.
3. Oh, how sad and sore distress’d Was that Mother, highly blest Of the sole-begotten One!
4. Christ above in torment hangs; She beneath beholds the pangs of her dying glorious Son.
5. Is there one who would not weep Whelmi’d in miseries so deep Christ’s dear Mother to behold.
6. Can the human heart refrain From partaking in her pain, in that Mother’s pain untold?
7. Bruis’d, derided, curs’d, defil’d, She beheld her tender child: All with bloody scourges rent.
8. For the sins of His own nation, Saw Him hang in desolation, Till His spirit forth He sent.
9. O thou Mother! Font of love! Touch my spirit from above; Make my heart with thine accord.
10. Make me feel as thou hast felt; Make my soul to glow and melt With the love of Christ our Lord.
11. Holy Mother! Pierce me through; In my heart each wound renew Of my Savior crucified.
12. Let me share with thee His pain, Who for all my sins was slain, Who for me in torments died.
13. Let me mingle tears with thee, Mourning Him who mounr’d for me, All the days that I may life.
14. By the cross with thee to stay, There with thee to weep and pray, Is all I ask of thee to give.
15. Virgin of all virgins best, Listen to my fond request:Let me share thy grief divine
16. Let me, to my latest breath, in my body bear the death Of that dying Son of thine.
17. Wounded with His every wound, steep my soul till it hath swoon’d In His very blood away.
18. Be to me, O Virgin, nigh, Lest in flames I burn and die, In His awful Judgment day.
19. Christ, when Thou shalt call me hence, Be Thy Mother my defense, Be Thy cross my victory.
20. While my body here decays, May my soul Thy goodness praise, Safe in Paradise with Thee.
Amen
Composition
The “Stabat Mater” is a Latin poem composed by the Franciscan friar Jacopone da Todi (1228-1306) in the 13th century. This Marian antiphon describes the sufferings of Mary at the crucifixion of her Divin Son Our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Latin text
Stabat Mater dolorosa
iuxta Crucem lacrimosa
dum pendebat Filius.
Cuius animam gementem,
contristatam et dolentem,
pertransivit gladius.
O quam tristis et afflicta
fuit illa benedicta
Mater Unigeniti.
Quæ mærebat, et dolebat,
Pia Mater dum videbat
nati pœnas incliti.
Quis est homo, qui non fleret,
Matrem Christi si videret
in tanto supplicio ?
Quis non posset contristari,
Christi (ou Piam) Matrem contemplari
dolentem cum Filio ?
Pro peccatis suæ gentis
vidit Iesum in tormentis
et flagellis subditum.
Vidit suum dulcem natum
moriendo desolatum,
dum emisit spiritum.
Eia Mater, fons amoris,
me sentire vim doloris
fac, ut tecum lugeam.
Fac, ut ardeat cor meum
in amando Christum Deum,
ut sibi complaceam.
Sancta Mater, istud agas,
crucifixi fige plagas
cordi meo valide.
Tui nati vulnerati,
tam dignati pro me pati,
pœnas mecum divide.
Fac me tecum pie flere,
Crucifixo condolere,
donec ego vixero.
Iuxta Crucem tecum stare,
et me tibi sociare
in planctu desidero.
Virgo virginum præclara,
mihi iam non sis amara :
fac me tecum plangere.
Fac ut portem Christi mortem,
passionis fac consortem,
et plagas recolere.
Fac me plagis vulnerari,
fac me Cruce inebriari
et cruore Filii.
Flammis ne urar succensus
per te, Virgo, sim defensus
in die iudicii
Christe, cum sit hinc exire,
da per Matrem me venire
ad palmam victoriæ.
Quando corpus morietur,
fac ut animæ donetur
paradisi gloria.
