O Salutaris Hostia
O Saving Victim
The hymn sung at Benediction as the Blessed Sacrament is exposed, begging strength of the saving Victim.
O salutaris Hostia,
quae caeli pandis ostium,
bella premunt hostilia;
da robur, fer auxilium.
Uni trinoque Domino
sit sempiterna gloria,
qui vitam sine termino
nobis donet in patria. Amen.
O saving Victim, opening wide
The gate of heaven to man below;
Our foes press on from every side,
Thine aid supply, Thy strength bestow.
To Thy great name be endless praise,
Immortal Godhead, One in Three;
Oh, grant us endless length of days
In our true native land with Thee. Amen.
Translation source: www.preces-latinae.org/thesaurus/Euch/OSalutaris.html
About this prayer
O Salutaris Hostia, "O Saving Victim," is drawn from Verbum Supernum Prodiens, the hymn Saint Thomas Aquinas composed for Lauds of the feast of Corpus Christi at the bidding of Pope Urban IV in 1264. These are its two closing stanzas, sung by long custom at Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament as the Host is exposed upon the altar for the adoration of the faithful.
The hymn hails the Host as the saving Victim who opens the gate of heaven, and, owning that the enemy presses hard on every side, begs of Him strength and aid. It closes with glory to the one and triune God, and the prayer that He grant us life without end in our true homeland. With the Tantum Ergo it frames the rite of Benediction, the one opening the exposition and the other preceding the blessing given with the Sacrament.