[716]Salve! Festa Dies (Ascension):

J. Baden-Powell, 1901

[717]Ramaulx:

B. Luard Selby, 1904

Repeat first verse as chorus.

Latin; Venantius Fortunatus (c.530-609);

Tr. Theodore A. Lacey, 1884

Hail! festal day! to endless ages known,

When God ascended to his starry throne.

Now with the Lord of new and heav'nly birth,

His gifts return to grace the springing earth.

Now glows the earth with painted flowers' array,

And warmer light unbars the gates of day.

Now Christ, from gloomy hell, comes triumphing,

And field and grove with clover and leafage spring.

The reign of death o'erthrown, he mounts on high,

Sent forth with joyous praise from sea and sky.

Loose now the captives, loose the prison door,

The fallen, from the deep, to light restore.

A countless people, from death's fetters free,

Own thee Redeemer, join, and follow thee.

Creator and Redeemer, Christ our Light!

The One begotten of the Father's might;

Coequal, Coeternal, thou to whom

The kingdom of the world decreed shall come;

Thou, looking on our race in darkness laid,

To rescue man, true Man thyself wast made.