Ye Souls of the Faithful (who sleep in the Lord)

This is a hymn for All Souls Day, which is about the souls in purgatory.   It is based on a Latin hymn, O Vos Fideles Animae, by W. Nakatenus.

It was translated by English Anglican priest, scholar and hymnwriter, and later Roman Catholic convert-priest Edward Caswall (1814-1878).

With meter 65 65D, tunes it has been set to include:

• An unnamed tune, borrowed from an Italian hymn book and arranged by the editor,  Nicola A. Montani
• An unnamed tune, borrowed from "Rev S G Ould's Book of Hymns" and included in A Treasury of Catholic Song, 1915

Hymnals it is published in include

• Hymns and Songs for Catholic Children, 1870
• St Basil's Hymnal, 1918
• The St Gregory Hymnal, 1920
• A Treasury of Catholic Song, 1915.

Downloads

This section may contain affiliate links: I earn from qualifying purchases on these. Free downloads are provided where possible (eg for public domain items).

Sheet music
(from the St Gregory Hymnal)

PowerPoint
slides

Examples

Choir with organ, singing in Korean

Instrumental - concertina duo, multi-track recording of the tune arranged by Nicholas Montani

Instrumental - auto-generated piano of the tune arranged by Nicholas Montani

Lyrics

Ye souls of the faithful! who sleep in the Lord;
But as yet are shut out, from your final reward!
Oh! would I could lend you, assistance to fly;
From your prison below, to your palace on high.

O Father of mercies! Thine anger withhold;
These works of Thy hand in Thy mercy behold;
Too oft from Thy path, they have wandered aside:
But Thee, their Creator, they never denied.

O tender Redeemer! Their misery see;
Deliver the souls that were ransomed by Thee;
Behold how they love Thee, despite of their pain:
Restore them, restore them to favour again.

O Spirit of grace! O Consoler divine!
See how for Thy presence they longingly pine;
Ah, then, to enliven their sadness, descend;
And fill them with peace, and with joy in the end.

O Mother of mercy! Dear soother in grief!
Lend thou to their torments a balmy relief;
Temper the rigour of justice severe;
And soften their flames with a pitying tear.

All ye who would honour the Saints and their Head,
Remember, remember, to pray for the dead;
And they, in return, from their misery freed,
To you will be friends in the hour of need.

Ye patrons who watched o'er their safety below,
Oh ! think how they need your fidelity now ;
And stir all the angels and saints of the sky
To plead for the souls that upon you rely.

Ye friends who, once sharing their pleasures and pain,
Now perhaps ready, in Paradise reign,
Oh ! comfort their hearts with a whisper of love,
And call them to share in your pleasures above.

See more ...

• Hymns for All Souls