Aurora Lucis Rutilat

Nicetas of Remesiana

Cum rex ille fortíssimus,
mortis confráctis víribus,
pede concúlcans tártara
solvit caténa míseros.
When the mighty king,
treading hell underfoot,
unbinds the chains
of death’s broken might.
Ille, quem clausum lápide
miles custódit ácriter,
triúmphis pompa nóbili
victor surgit de fúnere.
Despite a soldier’s keen watch,
despite being closed in a tomb,
he rises as conqueror from the grave,
with the fanfare of unbelievable triumph.
Inférni iam gemítibus
solútis et dolóribus,
quia surréxit Dóminus
respléndens clamat ángelus.
At the sound of hell’s wails
and the scattering of sorrows
a shining angel cries out
that the Lord has risen.
Esto perénne méntibus
paschále, Iesu, gáudium,
et nos renátos grátiæ
tuis triúmphis ággrega.
O Jesus, gladden us
with perennial Paschal joy,
and join us, reborn of grace,
to your triumph.
Iesu, tibi sit glória,
qui morte victa prænites,
cum Patre et almo Spíritu,
in sempitérna sæcula. Amen.
Glory to you, O Jesus,
who with the Father and the blessed Spirit,
outshine conquered death
from age to age. Amen.