The Greek Sequence of St Dionysius

Yves de Saint-Denis, Life and Martyrdom of St. Denis and His Companions Source: gallica.bnf.fr. Bibliothèque nationale de France, Département des Manuscrits, Français 2090, fol. 107v.

As we saw on Friday, for centuries the Abbey of St-Denys used to celebrate the Octave Day of its patron with a Mass where all the sung portions were in Greek. The translation of the sequence Gaude prole Grecia, attributed to both King Robert the Pious and Adam of St-Victor, is especially remarkable for its successful effort to preserve the metrical structure needed to fit the text to the melody.

Click here for the full sequence.

Beginning with the new Parisian missal promulgated by the Lord Archsbishop François de Harlay in 1684, the neo-Gallican liturgical books that festered in France during the Enlightenment Age altered this sequence to expunge any connection between St Dionysius the Areopagite and St Dionysius of Paris. The Abbey of St-Denys, however, remained firm in defending the Greek origins of its patron, and sung the original text until the Revolution.

 

Ἑλλὰς, ἐν τέκνῳ χαῖρε· Γαλλία περίσσευε Ἐν πατρὶ Διονύσῳ. Ἀγαλλιάσθω πλέον Παρίσιος, εὐσχήμων Ὁσίου τῷ θανάτῳ. Χαρὰν μέιζονα χαίρῃ Εὐδάιμων συνουσίη Μαρτύρων παρουσίᾳ. Ἐφ’ ὧν συνηγορίῃ Πᾶσα καυχᾶται χώρη, Ἀρχῆς ἐστιν οὐσία. Πρὸς γονῆα κείμε νοι Στρατιῶται δόκιμοι Μνήμης λάχον ἄξια. Ἀλλὰ τουτονὶ πάντως Σέβεται διηνεκῶς Βασιλὶς Ἐκκλησία. Ἀπὸ τ’ Ἀρχιερέως Πεμφθεὶς εὶς Γαλατίαν, Ἀπίστου τοῦ ἔθνεος Οὐ φοβεῖται μανίαν. Ὁ Γάλλων Ἀπόστολος Ἦλθεν εἰς Λουτηκίαν Ἣν κατέσχε δόλιος Ἐχθρὸς ὡς τὴν ἰδίαν. Τὸν τοῦ Χριστοῦ ναὸν κτίζει, Ἅπασιν εὐαγγελίζει, Τοῖς σημείοις φανερός. Ὄχλος πιστεῖ, πλάνη φεύγει, Πίστις αὔξει, καὶ αὐγάζει Τ’ οὔνομ’ Ἀρχιερέως. Πυθόμενος δὲ μαίνεται Δομίτιος, καὶ πέμπεται Ἄφρονα Σισίννιον. Ὃς ἕλκει ποιμένα ψυχῶν, Ζωῇ, τέρασιν ἔνδοξον, Εἰς τὸ δεσμοτήριον. Πρεσβύτερος πάσχει δίκας, Φυλακὴν, δεσμὰ, μάστιγας, Καταστὴν, στρῶμα σιδηρὸν, Νικᾷ καῦσον ἔμπυρον. Εὐχῇ δαμάζει θηρία, Σταυρὸν ἔτλη, καὶ τὰ πῦρα, Μετὰ πληγὰς ἐς σκοτεινὸν Ἄγεται τὸ σπήλαιον. Πρεσβυτέρου λειτουργοῦντος, Τοῦ ὄχλου περιεστῶτος, Χριστὸς ἦλθε, περιόντος Οὐρανίης στρατίας. Ἄρτῳ ζωῆς δεδεσμένον Ἐβόσκησε τὸν ἅγιον, Δόξης κοινωνησόμενον Ἐν πόλῳ ἀϊδίας. Ἴεται μαχησόμενος, Ὑπὸ τὸ ξίφος ἄφοβος, Ὁ μὲν παίων, ὁ δὲ νικῶν Στεφανοῦται μαχάρᾳ. Αὐτὸ νεκρὸν ἀνέστησε, Κολοβὸς κεφαλὴν ᾖρε, Ὅυ φερόντα προσήγαγε Αγγέλων συνουσία. Ὅσιον τὸ πάθημα Ὑμνῶμεν εἰς αἱῶνα. Ἀμήν. Ἀλληλούια.

Gaude prole Grecia, Glorietur Gallia Patre Dionysio. Exultet uberius Felici Parisius Illustris martyrio. Speciali gaudio Gaude felix contio Martyrum presentia. Quorum patrocinio Tota gaudet regio, Regni stat potentia. Iuxta Patrem positi, Bellatores incliti Digni sunt memoria. Sed illum precipue Recolit assidue Regalis ecclesia. Hic a summo presule Directus ad Galliam, Non gentis incredule Veretur insaniam. Gallorum apostolus, Venerat Lutetiam, Quam tenebat subdolus Hostis velut propriam. Hic constructo Christi templo, Verbo docet et exemplo, Coruscat miraculis. Turba credit, error cedit, Fides crescit, et clarescit Nomen tanti presulis. His auditis fit insanus Immitis Domicianus, Mittitque Sisinnium: Qui pastorem animarum, Fide, vita, signis clarum Trahat ad supplicium. Infliguntur seni pene, Flagra, carcer et catene; Catastam, lectum ferreum, Et estum vincit igneum. Prece domat feras truces, Sedat rogum, perfert cruces: Per clavos et patibulum Translatus ad ergastulum. Seniore celebrante Missam, turba circumstante, Christus adest, comitante Celesti militia. Specu clausum carcerali Consolatur, et uitali Pane cibat, immortali Coronandum gloria. Prodit Martyr conflicturus, Sub securi stat securus: Ferit lictor, sicque uictor Consummatur gladio. Se cadaver mox erexit, Truncus truncum caput vexit, Quo ferentem huc direxit Angelorum legio. Tam praeclara passio Repleat nos gaudio. Amen. Alleluia.

Rejoice, O Greece, in thy progeny; Glory, O Gaul In thy father Dionysius. Exalt richly, Lustrous Paris, In the happy martyrdom. With a special joy, Rejoice, O happy assembly In the presence of the martyrs. Of whose patronage The whole realm rejoiceth, And on whom its power is founded. Placed at the Father’s side, These famous warriors, Are worthy of remembrance. But him especially Recalleth with devotion The royal church. He, by the supreme Bishop Directed to Gaul, Never feared the madness Of an infidel race. The apostle of the Gauls Came to Paris, Whom the treacherous Enemy held as his own. Having built a temple to Christ, He teacheth by word and deed, He glittereth with miracles. The multitude believeth, error recedeth, Faith groweth, and gloweth The name of such a great prelate. Hearing this, cruel Domitian rages, And sends Sisinnius. Who that pastor of souls, So bright in faith, life, and miracles, draggeth off to torture. Punishments are inflicted on the old man, Scourges, prison, and chains; He conquereth scaffold, rack, And scorching flames. By prayer he tameth wild beasts, Douseth pyres, and beareth crosses: After nails and beams, he is Transferred to hard labour. As the old man celebrateth mass, As the multitude crowdeth around him, Christ is present, Attended by the heavenly host. He consoleth him Imprisoned in a dungeon, Feedeth him with life-giving bread, To crown him with life everlasting. The martyr goeth forth to battle, Under the falling axe he standeth fearless, The lictor striketh, and thus the champion is finished off by the sword. Anon the corpse ariseth, Beheaded, he taketh his stricken head, And bearing, goeth forth Guided by a host of angels Let such a glorious passion Fill us with joy. Amen. Alleluia.

Unknown Artist
Martyrdom of Saint Dionysius the Areopagite
fresco, Church of Saint Michael, Vithkuq (Albania), 1712

 

 

Portrait of Manuel II Palaeologus and his family, from a manuscript of St. Dionysius’s complete works sent by the emperor to the Abbey of St. Denis.