O Sola Magnarum Urbium (“Bethlehem! Of noblest cities”)
Translation: Fr. Edward Caswall, Oratorian
Text only—can be used with any 87 87
Page 301
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O Sola Magnarum Urbium (“Let other Cities strive, which most”)
Translation: Historic Roman Catholic Translation • 1706AD
Alongside the Latin—with textual accents—is printed a Roman Catholic (rhyming) translation of great historical interest. The version printed in the Brébeuf Hymnal is quite rare, and we were not able to obtain permission to post excerpts online.
Page 303
O Sola Magnarum Urbium (“A sacred town is Bethlehem”)
Translation: Judge Daniel Joseph Donahoe
First Tune: “St Bernard” • 86 86 (CM)
Page 304
O Sola Magnarum Urbium (“A sacred town is Bethlehem”)
Translation: Judge Daniel Joseph Donahoe
Second Tune: “Bristol” • 86 86 (CM)
Page 305
O Sola Magnarum Urbium (“A sacred town is Bethlehem”)
Translation: Judge Daniel Joseph Donahoe
Text only—can be used with any 86 86 (CM)
Page 306
O Sola Magnarum Urbium (“The noblest cities on the earth”)
Translation: Henry Trend
Tune: “Erschienen Ist” • 88 88 A
Page 307
O Sola Magnarum Urbium (“The noblest cities on the earth”)
Translation: Henry Trend
Text only—can be used with any 88 88 (LM)
Page 290
O Sola Magnarum Urbium (“O Bethlehem, thou dost surpass”)
Translation: Fr. John Fitzpatrick, Oblate of Mary
First Tune: “Altona” • 88 88 (LM)
Pages 288-289
O Sola Magnarum Urbium (4th century)
In addition to providing the Latin version with accent marks, the Saint Jean de Brébeuf Hymnal commissioned English translations from Latin scholars to help congregations appreciate these ancient prayers. Until the Brébeuf Hymnal appeared in 2018, literal translations for many of these hymns had never been made.
Page 18
Hostis Herodes Impie (“That God Himself as King should come”)
Translation: Bishop Edward G. Bagshawe
Tune: “Altona” • 88 88 (LM)
