Victimae Paschali Laudes — sequence of Easter

The sequence Victimae Paschali Laudes — To the Paschal Victim praises — is the sequence sung before the Gospel at the Mass of Easter Sunday and throughout the Octave of Easter in the traditional rite (in the Novus Ordo, obligatory only on Easter Sunday, optional during the Octave). Its composition is solidly attributed to Wipo of Burgundy († c. 1050), chaplain to Emperor Conrad II and Emperor Henry III. It is one of the five sequences which the Council of Trent (Session XXV, 1563) preserved in the Roman Missal of St Pius V (1570) — alongside Veni Sancte Spiritus (Pentecost), Lauda Sion (Corpus Christi), Dies Irae (Requiem) and Stabat Mater (Seven Sorrows of Mary); all the others (more than five thousand) were suppressed. Victimae Paschali is the oldest of the five and has a singular dialogic form: (1) opening proclaiming the victory of the Paschal Lamb; (2) death-life antithesis — Mors et vita duello conflixere mirando; (3) dialogue with Mary Magdalene — Dic nobis, Maria, quid vidisti in via? — first witness of the Resurrection (Jn 20:11-18); (4) final proclamation of the Resurrection. The original text had a stanza about credendum est magis soli Mariae veraci quam Iudaeorum turbae fallaci — we ought to believe more the one truthful Mary than the lying crowd of the Jews — which was removed in the Missal of St Pius V for reasons of ecumenical delicacy and is not in the present form. We present the form of the Missal of Trent (1570), in uninterrupted use until today, with literal English translation of our own.

To the Paschal Victim let Christians offer up praises.

The Lamb has redeemed the sheep:
Christ the innocent has reconciled sinners to the Father.

Death and Life have contended in a marvellous duel:
The Author of life, who died, reigns alive.

Tell us, Mary, what didst thou see on the way?

The sepulchre of the living Christ:
And the glory of him rising again.

The Angel witnesses, the napkin and the linen cloths.

Christ my hope is risen:
He goes before his own into Galilee.

We know that Christ is truly risen from the dead:
Thou, Victor King, have mercy on us. Amen. Alleluia.