The Easter Sequence

The Easter Sequence

“Where did this come from?” “What’s this doing here?” These are the questions of regular church attendees, accustomed to the regular routine of where to sit, stand and kneel. But here on Easter Sunday, following the second reading we do not immediately stand with the next piece of music, because that next piece of music is the “sequence” and not the Gospel Acclamation as most people expect.

With every Church reform come “losses.” With the liturgical reforms mandated by the Council of Trent [1545-63] came a great pruning of the existing musical repertoire. One of the items that was almost completely eliminated was the “Sequence Hymn.” These songs provided a poetic commentary on the Mass of the day, and preceded the Gospel reading.

There were hundreds of these sequence hymns, and only a couple were deemed worthy of keeping in the new 1570 Liturgy. One of these was the Easter Sequence “Victimae Paschali Laudes” – “Christians, to the Paschal victim offer your praises!” After the further reforms following Vatican II, this hymn continued to be a required piece of the Easter Liturgy.

The Latin text and associated music was most likely written by Wipo of Burgundy in the 11th century. In rhymed couplets this hymn presents in naive form a dialogue between the Disciples and Mary Magdalene who has just come back from the empty tomb with news of the Resurrection. Sometimes this was even acted out as a mini-drama.

The other three Sequence Hymns that survived the 1570 cut, and continued in the post Vatican II 1970 Liturgy are; “Veni Creator” still required for Pentecost [# 1084 in our Gather hymnals], “Lauda Sion” for Corpus Christi [now optional, words by St Thomas Aquinas]; and “Dies Irae” [formerly required at Requiem Masses, and now moved to the Liturgy of the Hours]. A fifth sequence “Stabat Mater” [for the Seven Sorrows of Mary] was restored in 1727, and was a favorite text for religious concert music by many Catholic composers.

Whether singing, or listening, or just in private meditation, these hymns connect us through the centuries with the prayer life that nurtured our ancestors in the faith, and can continue to enrich our prayer life in the present. Enjoy!

Roger Petrich