Stola Regni laureatus

These earth's highest decoration,

That shall judge each tongue and nation;

These the rock of newest grace:

Ere the world was, pre-elected,

By the Architect erected

In the Church's highest place.

Nazarites of ancient story,

They the Cross's wars and glory

To the listening world relate:

Thus the Word of God adorning,

Night to night, to morning morning,

"Speech and knowledge" indicate.

They, earth's furthest limits reaching,

Christ's most easy burden preaching,

Propagate the Word of Life:

Earth returns her cultured treasure,

And in more abundant measure

With the God-Man's faith is rife.

Paranymphs of God's new graces,

To the New King's dear embraces

They conduct the Royal Bride:

Spotless, blemishless, eternal,

She, the dread of powers infernal,

Ever Virgin must abide.

Ever Virgin, ever bearing,

Youth and age for ever sharing,

From defeat and error free;

This her bed, truth held sincerely;

This her birth, faith treasured dearly:

Grace her dowry endlessly.

These, the temple's sure foundations,

These are they that bind the nations

Into God's great house above:

These the city's pearly portal,

Knitting faith with work immortal,

Jew and Gentile into love.

These are they that evermore

Winnow in the threshing floor,

And from the chaff the wheat divide:

These are they that came to be

Oxen of the brazen sea

That Solomon had edified.

Patriarchs twelve in order meetest:

Twelvefold founts of water sweetest:

Shewbreads of the temple rite:

Gems that deck the priestly vestment;

Thus they gain their true attestment

As the people's chiefs in fight.

Let their prayer preserve from error,

Add to faith, and quench the terror

Of the woe of final doom:

So that, freed from all transgression,

We may enter on possession

Of the happiness to come. Amen.