O Sacred Head Surrounded

The hymn is based on a long medieval Latin poem, Salve mundi salutare, with stanzas addressing the various parts of Christ's body hanging on the Cross. The last part of the poem, from which the hymn is taken, is addressed to Christ's head, and begins "Salve caput cruentatum." The poem is attributed to St. Bernard of Clairvaux (1091-1153).

Lyrics: O Sacred Head Surrounded
(Latin: Salve caput cruentatum, St. Bernard)

O Sacred Head surrounded
By crown of piercing thorn!
O bleeding Head so wounded,
Reviled and put to scorn!
Death's pallid hue comes o'er Thee,
The glow of life decays,
Yet angel hosts adore Thee,
And tremble as they gaze.

In this, Thy bitter passion,
Good shepherd, think of me,
With Thy most sweet compassion,
Unworthy though I be:
Beneath Thy cross abiding,
Forever would I rest;
In Thy dear love confiding,
And with Thy presence blest.


Meditation by St. Alphonsus De Liguori

Ah, cruel thorns, ungrateful creatures, wherefore do ye torment your Creator thus? But to what purpose asks St. Augustine, dost thou find fault with the thorns? They were but innocent instruments--our sins, our evil thoughts, were the wicked thorns which afflicted the head of Jesus Christ: "What are the thorns but sinners?"

Thou, too, therefore, O my soul, didst then inflict torture upon the venerable head of thy Redeemer by thy many consentings to evil: Know thou and behold how grievous and bitter it is for thee to have left the Lord thy God." Open now thine eyes, and see, and bitterly bewail all thy life long the evil that thou hast done in so ungratefully turning thy back upon thy Lord and God.

Ah, my Jesus! No, Thou hast not deserved that I should have treated Thee as I have done. I have done evil; I have been in the wrong; I am sorry for it with all my heart. Oh, pardon me, and give me a sorrow which may make me bewail all my life long the wrongs that I have done Thee. My Jesus, my Jesus, pardon me, wishing, as I do, to love Thee forever.



Please visit our website during this Holy Week:

The Passion of Christ from the Council of Trent:

http://catholicharboroffaithandmorals.com/Passion%20of%20Christ.html

Traditional Examination of Conscience:

http://catholicharboroffaithandmorals.com/Examine%20Index.html

True Contrition:

http://catholicharboroffaithandmorals.com/Contrition.html

Category:

Music

Tags:

• O Sacred Head Surrounded
• Holy Week
• Bach
• Catholic
• Crowing with Thorns
• Passion of Christ
• Good Friday
• Hymn

[swang102]

thank you for the traditional and unchanged lyrics!

[jbiebsfan51898]

i love it and im 12

[1clarinet1981]

MOVING!

[jenny21624]

Very Very Very Beautiful-

[proudgram61]

It is a beautiful hymn, the same one I remember while growing up at Easter. It is a sad and yet hopeful song, with or without words, reminding us of the passion of Christ and also of His healing power. Thanks for posting.

[TuboEspectador]

@just0guessing Yes, the ones who run the show in the US are really bad, especially the years from 1968 to present (the ones who rule are not in the White House, although they were very close in 2001-2009). I am not sure if the message of Jesus will ever penetrate their thick skulls. It is not a matter of replacing the Constitution, btw, just simply living the "Golden Rule". I liked your comment so much!

[lxnvcts]

Very beautiful, thank you.

Also listen to this version: watch?v=pKwjpCkfAm0

[robertiacomacci]

Sadly, Americans speak English, of course this song is sung in English. I wish your thought were true. Who knows maybe it is.

[checkthisout732]

Nice! Very moving!

[madmailler]

the us actually still has the a much larger religious/non-religious ratio than most european countries.