That the Latin processional hymn appeared first in Gaul should surprise
no one. It has already been suggested that the hymns among the _Carmina_
of Fortunatus were created in the atmosphere of freedom enjoyed by
Gallic hymn writers in accordance with contemporary canons. Always a
poet of the occasion, Fortunatus wrote three hymns for the reception of
a relic believed to be of the true Cross, which was presented to
Rhadegunda, his patron, by the Byzantine Emperor, Justin II and his wife
Sophia, for the convent at Poitiers. As a final stage in the journey
from Constantinople, the relic was borne in procession from Migné to
Poitiers, accompanied by Euphronius, Bishop of Tours. On this day the
hymn, _Vexilla regis prodeunt_, was first heard.[14] Two others, _Pange
lingua_ and _Crux benedicta_ (see Chapter One) were devoted by
Fortunatus to the same theme of the Holy Cross, although it cannot be
proved that they were sung in the same procession.
The Resurrection hymn, _Tempora florigero rutilant distincta sereno_,
“Season of luminous days, marked bright with the birth of flowers,”
(_Carm._ 3. 9), was originally written for the Easter baptismal rites
celebrated by Felix, Bishop of Nantes (d. 582). It was a poem of 110
lines or 55 elegiac couplets, from which the cento of 28 lines beginning
_Salve festa dies_, “Hail thee, festival day,” was later selected for an
Easter processional.[15]
The metrical models provided by _Pange lingua_ of the trochaic pattern
and _Salve festa dies_, the elegiac, continued to be employed throughout
the Middle Ages for processional hymnody, the elegiac excelling in
popularity. First in the original hymn, then in centos and finally in
imitative verse adapted to a multitude of feasts, _Salve festa dies_ was
never superseded but maintained the influence of Fortunatus for
centuries.
Spain must have known the processional hymn soon after its appearance in
Gaul, perhaps in the seventh century. Here, the Palm Sunday festival
seems to have been the source of inspiration for the procession and
blessing of palms is mentioned by Isidore of Seville as an observance of
his day.[16] Contemporary evidence indicates a similar procession in
Italy.[17] The use of a processional hymn, however, is not as clearly
indicated.
It seems probable that the seventh century hymn, _Magnum salutis
gaudium_ (_A. H._ 51. 73), “O great joy of salvation,” is one of the
earliest to be assigned for Palm Sunday. It is a simple rendering in the
Ambrosian style, of the events recounted in the biblical narrative.[18]
In the early centuries when the concept of a specific processional hymn
for a particular festival was almost unheard of, a familiar hymn from
the old hymnals might be used in the new ceremonies. It has been
suggested that _Magnum salutis gaudium_ was known to Theodulphus, who in
the ninth century wrote the Palm Sunday processional hymn, _Gloria laus
et honor_, for all the ages.
Processions, thus far, have been thought of chiefly, as wholly or in
part outside the church edifice. Processions within the edifice were
also frequently observed. A procession of the clergy, in connection with
which psalms and antiphons were sung, preceded the Sunday high mass;
another took place as the Gospel codex was carried to its place for
reading. Other ceremonies within the church, aside from the liturgy
proper, were sometimes accompanied by hymns.[19]
Perhaps the earliest hymn in use at a special ceremony, once more a
selection from the hymnal, was _Audi, iudex mortuorum_ (_A. H._ 51. 80),
“Hear Thou Judge of the dead,” sung on Holy Thursday at the consecration
of the chrism.[20] The words _O redemptor, sume carmen temet
concinentium_, “O Redeemer, accept the hymn of Thy people magnifying
Thee,”[21] formed a refrain, a metrical feature which came to be the
unmistakable mark of the processional hymn.
In this early period from the sixth to the tenth century, a new idea and
a new practice came into being, the use of hymns apart from those of the
canonical hours and the sequences of the mass. The ninth century revival
of hymnody in all its branches was taking place in western Europe just
as this period came to a close, in connection with which the
processional hymn was inevitably affected as the office hymn and the
sequence had been by a fresh inspiration to poetry and worship. The
movement came to fruition at St. Gall where the musical and ceremonial
aspects of that great monastic center were so highly developed, a center
which had contributed so heavily to the Carolingian revival of
literature and the arts.
The French liturgical scholar, Leon Gautier, whose contributions to the
study of medieval hymnology have already been mentioned, was the first
to identify the processional hymn as a trope or liturgical
interpolation. In a study of the St. Gall processional hymns he observed
that they were classified by the name _versus_ which in itself points to
a separate hymnic category. Other earlier hymns used in processions were
there called _versus_. Gautier discovered that musical notation always
appeared with the _versus_, an indication that these hymns were
invariably chanted and he noted that the _versus_, in the manner of the
hymn _O redemptor, sume carmen_, cited above, was without exception,
accompanied by a refrain.[22]
The processional hymns of St. Gall, like the sequences, bore the
characteristic marks of the hymnic group to which they belonged. From
this stage in their evolution they were set apart by their music,
classification and refrain.
The wider circle of Carolingian liturgical interest included hymn
writers other than those of St. Gall: Theodulphus of Orleans, Walafrid
Strabo of Reichenau, Rabanus Maurus of Fulda, Radbert of Corbie, who
with Waldram and Hartmann of St. Gall wrote processional hymns. The
hymns of Theodulphus and of Rabanus Maurus have been considered above.
Other great festivals of the ecclesiastical year and of the saints were
now observed with processional honors for which new hymns were written;
special ceremonies also, were thus recognized. Hartmann wrote the
elegiac hymn _Salve, lacteolo decoratum sanguine festum_ (_A. H._ 50.
251), “Hail festival, graced with the blood of the Innocents,” for the
Feast of the Holy Innocents. The processional hymns of Rabanus Maurus
were heard at Nativity, Easter and possibly the Feast of the
Purification. The dramatic spirit, always present in the true
processional is felt in all these hymns while the refrain reiterates the
message of the feast:
for Easter,
R. Surrexit quia Christus a sepulcro,
Collaetetur homo choro angelorum. (_A. H._ 50. 190)
Since Christ has risen from the tomb,
Let man rejoice with the choir of angels.
for the Nativity,
R. Christo nato, rege magno
totus orbis gaudeat. (_A. H._ 50. 186)
Since Christ is born, the mighty king,
let the whole earth rejoice.
Processional hymns for saints are represented by Radbert’s hymn honoring
St. Gall,
R. Annua, sancte Dei, celebramus festa diei,
Qua, pater, e terris sidera, Galle, petis. (_A. H._ 50. 241)
We celebrate, O Saint of God, our yearly feast on this day
When thou, father Gallus, dost leave the earth for heaven.
To celebrate the life and miracles of a patron saint was frequently the
inspiration of a medieval procession, which, in the case of St. Gall,
passed beyond the precincts of the monastery into the streets of the
town.[23] It is no wonder that the tradition of these processions,
furnished with all the splendor of festival vestments, of robed choirs,
of monastic treasures and sacred banners should have made St. Gall
unique.
The Sunday processions were sometimes accompanied by imposing hymns in
the form of litanies. It should not be forgotten that the ancient
Christian processions were, in great part, of this nature. Waldram,
Hartmann and Radbert wrote such hymns but Hartmann’s was evidently a
favorite, _Summus et omnipotens genitor, qui cuncta creasti_, “Mighty
and omnipotent father, who hast created all things,” with the refrain,
R. Humili prece et sincera devotione
Ad te clamantes semper exaudi nos. (_A. H._ 50. 253)
With humble prayer and pure devotion,
Ever hear us as we cry to Thee.
It seems probable that the custom of singing a hymn in the procession
before the reading of the Gospel originated at St. Gall. Hartmann
provided a beautiful _versus_ for this purpose,
Sacrata libri dogmata
Portantur evangelici. (_A. H._ 50. 250)
The sacred words of the
Gospel are borne.
A _versus_ for the reception of the Eucharist was written by Radbert,
_Laudes omnipotens, ferimus tibi dona colentes_ (_A. H._ 50. 239), “In
reverence, Almighty, we bring our praises as gifts to Thee.” The
Blessing of the Font on Holy Saturday inspired his _Versus ad Descensum
fontis_ (_A. H._ 50. 242-3). Among the ceremonies most characteristic of
medieval piety was that of _Mandatum_ or foot-washing, commemorating the
act of Jesus in washing his disciples’ feet, (_John_ 13; 1-15). The name
“Maundy Thursday” is a modern survival of the ancient terminology.[24]
The hymn associated with this rite appears first in Gaul in the eighth
or ninth century and may have been current in Italy in monastic centers.
The antiphon, _Ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est_, “Where charity is and
love, God is there,” is at once the motive and refrain of this hymn,
_Congregavit nos in unum Christi amor_ (_A. H._ 12. 24), “The love of
Christ has united us,” which follows the scriptural account.[25]
The student must turn once more to the great monastic centers of the
Germanic world for processional hymns honoring royalty. Visits of kings
and emperors to St. Gall and other noted monasteries were by no means
uncommon; that colorful processions and demonstrations of loyalty were a
part of their reception cannot be doubted. Walafrid Strabo celebrates
the visit of Lothair to Reichenau with the hymn,
R. Imperator magne, vivas
semper et feliciter. (_A. H._ 50. 176)
Live, O mighty emperor
ever in felicity.
Walafrid Strabo praised Charles, son of Louis the Pious, and Radbert,
the Empress Richgard. Other processionals could be used on the occasion
of the coming of any royal visitor.
Vatican manuscripts offer evidence of contemporary processions in Italy
and Rome, the city of their origin. From this source is derived the
processional hymn _Sancta Maria, quid est?_ (_A. H._ 23. 74), “Sancta
Maria, what meaneth this?” written for the procession which marked the
eve of the Feast of the Assumption, about the year 1000. Specific
directions for the route, the order of precedence and every detail of
the ceremonial are available, while the hymn itself depicts the devotion
and human appeal attending this night time scene in Rome.[26]