Veni, Creátor Spíritus, mentes tuórum vísita, imple supérna grátia, quæ tu creásti péctora.
Qui díceris Paráclitus, altíssimi donum Dei, fons vivus, ignis, cáritas, et spiritális únctio.
Tu septifórmis múnere, dígitus patérnæ déxteræ, tu rite promíssum Patris, sermóne ditans gúttura.
Accénde lumen sénsibus, infúnde amórem córdibus, infírma nostri córporis virtúte firmans pérpeti.
Hostem repéllas lóngius, pacémque dones prótinus: ductóre sic te prǽvio vitémus omne nóxium.
Per te sciámus da Patrem, noscámus atque Fílium, teque utriúsque Spíritum credámus omni témpore.
Deo Patri sit glória, et Fílio, qui a mórtuis surréxit, ac Paráclito, in sæculórum sǽcula. Amen.
Come, Holy Ghost, Creator blest, and in our hearts take up Thy rest; come with Thy grace and heavenly aid to fill the hearts which Thou hast made.
O Comforter, to Thee we cry, Thou heavenly gift of God most high, Thou Fount of life, and Fire of love, and sweet anointing from above.
Thou in Thy sevenfold gifts art known; Thou finger of God’s hand we own; Thou promise of the Father, Thou who dost the tongue with power imbue.
Kindle our senses from above, and make our hearts o’erflow with love; with patience firm and virtue high the weakness of our flesh supply.
Far from us drive the foe we dread, and grant us Thy true peace instead; so shall we not, with Thee for guide, turn from the path of life aside.
Oh, may Thy grace on us bestow the Father and the Son to know, and Thee, through endless times confessed, of both the eternal Spirit blest.
All glory while the ages run be to the Father and the Son who rose from death; and equal praise to Thee, O Holy Ghost, eternally. Amen.
The Veni Creator Spiritus is the Church’s great hymn of invocation to the Holy Spirit, sung whenever she begins some work too great for human strength and calls down the Third Person of the Blessed Trinity to accomplish it. It is ascribed to Rabanus Maurus (c. 780–856), Archbishop of Mainz, a monk so learned he was called "the Teacher of Germany." For over a thousand years his hymn has opened the most solemn moments of Catholic life.
It is sung at Vespers of Pentecost, but far beyond that: at the ordination of priests and the consecration of bishops, at the conclave before the Cardinals elect a pope, at the opening of ecumenical councils (both the First and Second Vatican Councils began with it) and synods, at religious professions, the dedication of churches, the crowning of kings, and the dawn of each new year. Wherever the Church must be guided, taught, or made holy, she first sings, "Come, Creator Spirit."
The hymn adores the Spirit under a cascade of titles drawn from Scripture and tradition — "Paraclete" (Comforter), "gift of God most high," "living fount," "fire," "love," "spiritual anointing," the "sevenfold gift," and the "finger of God’s hand" (a title echoing Luke 11:20). It prays for light in the mind, love in the heart, strength in weakness, peace against the enemy, and finally the knowledge of the Father and the Son through the Spirit who proceeds from both. A plenary indulgence is granted, under the usual conditions, for its public recitation on the first day of the year and on the feast of Pentecost.
Come, Holy Ghost, Creator blest, and in our hearts take up Thy rest; come with Thy grace and heavenly aid to fill the hearts which Thou hast made.
O Comforter, to Thee we cry, Thou heavenly gift of God most high, Thou Fount of life, and Fire of love, and sweet anointing from above.
Thou in Thy sevenfold gifts art known; Thou finger of God’s hand we own; Thou promise of the Father, Thou who dost the tongue with power imbue.
Kindle our senses from above, and make our hearts o’erflow with love; with patience firm and virtue high the weakness of our flesh supply.
Far from us drive the foe we dread, and grant us Thy true peace instead; so shall we not, with Thee for guide, turn from the path of life aside.
Oh, may Thy grace on us bestow the Father and the Son to know, and Thee, through endless times confessed, of both the eternal Spirit blest.
All glory while the ages run be to the Father and the Son who rose from death; and equal praise to Thee, O Holy Ghost, eternally. Amen.
Veni, Creátor Spíritus, mentes tuórum vísita, imple supérna grátia, quæ tu creásti péctora.
Qui díceris Paráclitus, altíssimi donum Dei, fons vivus, ignis, cáritas, et spiritális únctio.
Tu septifórmis múnere, dígitus patérnæ déxteræ, tu rite promíssum Patris, sermóne ditans gúttura.
Accénde lumen sénsibus, infúnde amórem córdibus, infírma nostri córporis virtúte firmans pérpeti.
Hostem repéllas lóngius, pacémque dones prótinus: ductóre sic te prǽvio vitémus omne nóxium.
Per te sciámus da Patrem, noscámus atque Fílium, teque utriúsque Spíritum credámus omni témpore.
Deo Patri sit glória, et Fílio, qui a mórtuis surréxit, ac Paráclito, in sæculórum sǽcula. Amen.
Come, Holy Ghost, Creator blest, and in our hearts take up Thy rest; come with Thy grace and heavenly aid to fill the hearts which Thou hast made.
O Comforter, to Thee we cry, Thou heavenly gift of God most high, Thou Fount of life, and Fire of love, and sweet anointing from above.
Thou in Thy sevenfold gifts art known; Thou finger of God’s hand we own; Thou promise of the Father, Thou who dost the tongue with power imbue.
Kindle our senses from above, and make our hearts o’erflow with love; with patience firm and virtue high the weakness of our flesh supply.
Far from us drive the foe we dread, and grant us Thy true peace instead; so shall we not, with Thee for guide, turn from the path of life aside.
Oh, may Thy grace on us bestow the Father and the Son to know, and Thee, through endless times confessed, of both the eternal Spirit blest.
All glory while the ages run be to the Father and the Son who rose from death; and equal praise to Thee, O Holy Ghost, eternally. Amen.