+ Corpus Christi procession +

There had been rain during a good part of the morning and there was quite strong wind however when the arranged time of 4.00 P.M. arrived the rain had stopped. At times the sun came out to give us a beautiful, prayerful procession in honour of the Sacred Body of Christ, Corpus Christi. We processed from Our Lady's chapel, Stronsay to the Station pier and across to Papa Stronsay on the St. Alphonsus. From thence to the shrine of St. Michael and from thence to the monastery chapel of the Holy Face.

(click on the photos to see them clearly)

Lauda Sion... Praise thou Sion,

praise thy Prince with all thy fervour

Anthems to thy Shepherd sing.

All thou canst, do thou endeavour,

Yet thy praise can equal never

Such as merits thy great King.

Same the bread that Christ in leaving

To the Twelve each one receiving,

Gave, no one doubt can raise.

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Mem'ry of that feast we render

Keeping rites in solemn splendour,

When Christ did first Himself impart.

This new Feast, the old repealing,

Newer King and pasch revealing,

Usher in a newer rite.

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What is new to age succeedeth:

Place to truth the Shadow cedeth:

Radiance puts the gloom to flight.

Dogma datur Christianis

quod in carnem transit panis

et vinum in sanguinem.

Christian truth uncontroverted

Is that bread and wine converted

Sacred Flesh and Blood become.

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Mind and eye whilst unperceiving

What's beyond their own conceiving

Strenuous faith to them brings home.

Sumit unus, sumunt mille:

quantum isti tantum ille:

nec sumptus consumitur.

Come there one, come there many,

Each partakes as much as any,

Nor the less for other leaves.

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Sumunt boni, sumunt mali:

sorte tamen inaequali,

vitae vel interitus.

Good and bad this banquet sharing

Are an unlike lot preparing,

Life or death to either falls.

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Mors est malis, vita bonis:

vide paris sumptionis

quam sit dispar exitus.

Life to those, to these perdition,

Though to both the same fruition,

How unlike the fate that calls.

Fracto demum sacramento,

ne vacilles, sed memento,

tantum esse sub fragmento,

quantum toto tegitur.

When thou the host in pieces breakest

if thou waver, thou mistakest,

for each fragment thou partakest

Holds no less than does the whole.

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Nulla rei fit scissura:

signi tantum fit fractura,

qua nec status, nec statura

signati minuitur.

Of the substance no division,

Sings alone admit partition,

Whence unlessened the condition

Of the symboled Body and Soul.

Ecce Panis Angelorum

factus cibus viatorum:

vere panis filiorum,

non mittendus canibus.

Lo! Angelic Bread reviving

Pilgrims worn to heaven striving,

Children from It strength deriving

Sacred Bread to dogs denied.
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In figuris praesignatur,

cum Isaac immolatur:

Angnus Pascuae deputatur:

datur manna patribus.

This the ancient types saluted,

Isaac victim constituted,

And the lamb for pasch deputed,

Manna to our sins supplied.

Bone pastor, panis vere,

Jesu, nostri miserere:

tu nos pasce, nos tuere:

tu nos bona fac videre

in terra viventium.

Jesu, Bread of life, protect us!

Shepherd kind do not reject us!

In Thy happy fold collect us,

And partakers of the bliss elect us

Which shall never see an end.

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Tu qui cuncta scis et vales:

qui nos pascis hic mortales:

tuos ibi commensales,

Coheredes et sodales,

fac sanctorum civium. Amen, Alleluia!

Thou the Wisest and the Mightiest,

Who us here with food delightest,

Seat us at Thy banquet brightest,

With the Blessed Thou invitest,

An eternal feast to spend. Amen, Alleluia!