Traditional: Collected Lyrics
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Public-domain lyrics

Feast of the Ascension

Traditional

“Feast of the Ascension” as printed in Catholic Hymns (1860) (1860).

Traditional: Collected Lyrics Text 323 1860 · historical text
Public domainHymnSacred song
Complete public-domain lyrics

This text comes from Catholic Hymns (1860), a historical songbook transcribed on Wikisource and reproduced from the pinned revision linked below.

Verse 1

12.

Feast of the Ascension

Verse 2

O thou eternal King most high,

Who didst the world redeem;

And conquering death and hell, receive

A dignity supreme:

Verse 3

This day beheld Thee through the skies

To Thy bright throne ascend;

Thenceforth to reign in sovereign power,

And glory without end.

Verse 4

There, seated in Thy majesty,

To Thee submissive bow

The spacious earth, the highest heaven

The depths of hell below.

Verse 5

With trembling there the angels see

The chang'd estate of men;

The flesh which sinn'd, by Flesh redeem'd,

And Man o'er seraphs reign.

Verse 6

There, waiting for Thy faithful souls,

Be Thou to us, O Lord,

Our peerless joy while here we stay.

In heav'n our great reward.

Credits

Written by Traditional

Traditional words. Historical text published in Catholic Hymns (1860) (1860); public domain. No claim to a modern recording or arrangement.

Source & text edition

Catholic Hymns (1860) (1860), “Feast of the Ascension”

The 1860 published edition is in the public domain in the United States (pre-1931 publication). Entries whose credited author died more than 70 years ago are also in the public domain in life-plus-70 jurisdictions; other entries are held.

How to read this historical text and its source

Read the source on Wikisource

View copyright evidence · Transcription terms (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Retrieved 2026-10-25. Line spacing and section labels are adapted for reading. The displayed text follows the linked edition. Editorial notes and abstract artwork are by 52lyrics.
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