A random reading sparked a new idea for a song. I happened across an article on Saint Francis of Assisi and it referenced his hymn which goes by several names such as Canticle of the Creatures and Canticle of the Sun. Hope you enjoy it!
How we made it
I was able to locate an original language edition of the hymn here:
https://it.wikisource.org/wiki/Cantico_di_Frate_Sole
From here I essentially gave it the Saint Ambrose hymn treatment.
First we translated it as follows:
Most High, all-powerful, good Lord,
all praise is Yours,
all glory and honor and every blessing.
To You alone, Most High, they belong,
and no human being is worthy even to speak Your name.
Praised be You, my Lord, through all Your creatures,
especially through Brother Sun,
who brings the day and gives us light.
He is beautiful and radiant with great splendor,
and he bears the likeness of You, Most High.
Praised be You, my Lord, through Sister Moon and the stars;
in heaven You formed them bright,
precious, and beautiful.
Praised be You, my Lord, through Brother Wind,
and through the air, the clouds, calm and storm,
and every kind of weather
by which You sustain Your creatures.
Praised be You, my Lord, through Sister Water,
who is very useful and humble,
precious and pure.
Praised be You, my Lord, through Brother Fire,
through whom You light the night;
he is beautiful and joyful,
strong and powerful.
Praised be You, my Lord, through our sister,
Mother Earth,
who sustains and governs us,
and produces many fruits,
with colorful flowers and living herbs.
Praised be You, my Lord, through those who forgive for love of You
and who endure sickness and suffering.
Blessed are those who endure in peace,
for by You, Most High, they shall be crowned.
Praised be You, my Lord, through our sister,
Bodily Death,
from whom no living person can escape.
Woe to those who die in mortal sin;
blessed are those whom death finds within Your holy will,
for the second death shall do them no harm.
Praise and bless my Lord,
give thanks and serve Him
with great humility.
Next step was to make it uniquely AUGUSTINUS VOX so VOX stepped up and gave us a few editions of the lyrics but ultimately we settled on this:
Most High, all-powerful, good Lord above,
All praise and glory belong to Your love;
Honor and blessing rise endlessly,
No human voice is worthy of Thee.
Yet still creation lifts its song,
And calls our silent hearts along.
All praise be Yours, O Lord most high,
Let earth and heaven glorify;
With every voice and every breath,
Your praise resounds through life and death.
All praise be Yours, let all things sing,
Creation gathered to its King;
From sky to sea, from dust set free,
All life proclaims Your majesty.
Praised through Brother Sun’s bright flame,
Day awakens in Your name;
Radiant splendor fills the sky,
Bearing Your own likeness high.
Praised through Sister Moon and stars,
Shining through the silent dark;
Precious lights in heaven’s height,
Gentle guardians of the night.
The turning skies declare Your love,
All things sustained by grace above.
All praise be Yours, O Lord most high,
Let earth and heaven glorify;
With every voice and every breath,
Your praise resounds through life and death.
All praise be Yours, let all things sing,
Creation gathered to its King;
From sky to sea, from dust set free,
All life proclaims Your majesty.
Praised through Brother Wind and air,
Cloud and storm and weather fair;
Every breath and shifting day
Carries life along its way.
Praised through Sister Water clear,
Humble, precious, ever near;
Pure and gentle, flowing free,
Gift of quiet charity.
Praised through Brother Fire’s light,
Warming hearts and guarding night;
Joyful, strong, and bright with flame,
Dancing sparks that speak Your name.
Praised through Mother Earth who feeds,
Flower and fruit and living seeds;
All who walk upon her face
Rest within sustaining grace.
Through dust and flame Your goodness shown,
No living thing stands here alone.
All praise be Yours, O Lord most high,
Let earth and heaven glorify;
With every voice and every breath,
Your praise resounds through life and death.
All praise be Yours, let all things sing,
Creation gathered to its King;
From sky to sea, from dust set free,
All life proclaims Your majesty.
Blessed those who choose to forgive,
Who suffer still and learn to live;
Peace shall be their crown one day,
Held within Your gentle way.
Praised through Sister Death at last,
None may flee her shadow cast;
Blessed those found within Your will,
Whom the second death cannot kill.
All praise be Yours, O Lord most high,
Let earth and heaven glorify;
Through life and death Your mercies ring,
Eternal hope our voices bring.
All praise be Yours, let all things sing,
Creation gathered to its King;
With humble hearts and voices raised,
Forever shall Your Name be praised.
Praise and bless the Lord above,
Serve Him still in humble love;
All creation, great and small,
Give Him thanks — the Lord of all.
All praise be Yours, O Lord most high,
Let earth and heaven glorify;
With every voice and every breath,
Your praise resounds through life and death.
All praise be Yours, let all things sing,
Creation gathered to its King;
From sky to sea, from dust set free,
All life proclaims Your majesty.All praise be Yours, O Lord most high,
Let earth and heaven glorify;
With every voice and every breath,
Your praise resounds through life and death.
All praise be Yours, let all things sing,
Creation gathered to its King;
From sky to sea, from dust set free,
All life proclaims Your majesty.
It took a bit of working with the tool as the song is really long so the tool kept cutting things off and reordering portions but we got it eventually.
From here I began to work with images and settled on this one which you can use on your desktop or phone.
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