Link to the music: https://tinyurl.com/tejoseph

There are not many ancient hymns to St. Joseph in the West.

This hymn is probably about 400 years old, and is sung at Vespers on the Feast of St. Joseph, March 19th. There has been a reinvigoration of devotion to St. Joseph in recent years, helped of course by the Year of St. Joseph which just ended. March 19th has been celebrated as the feast of St. Joseph for over 1000 years (although only universally in the Roman Rite since the 1500’s).

1. Let the hosts of heaven celebrate you, Joseph, Let all the choirs of Christendom resound you who, famous for your merits, was joined to the glorious Virgin in chaste wedlock.

2. When your betrothed became great with precious seed, amazement and doubt made you anxious. It is by the breath of the divine Spirit, an Angel tells you, that the son has been conceived.

3. You did embrace the new-born Lord, and to the furthest Egypt coasts you followed Him in exile, Lost in Jerusalem, you sought and found Him, mixing joy with tears.

4. After death most are blest by a loving destiny and, when they have won the palm, they are welcomed into glory. But you, while you lived, like the saints above, were with God, blest more than others by this wondrous lot.

5. Spare us, highest Trinity, as we pray, Grant that through Joseph's merits we may rise to heaven, So that at last we may offer perpetually our grateful songs.

Te, Joseph, celebrent agmina caelitum Te cuncti resonent christiadum chori Qui clarus meritis junctus et inclytae Casto foedere Virgini.

2. Almo cum tumidam germine conjugem admirans dubio tangeris anxius, afflatu superi flaminis angelus conceptum puerum docet.

3. Tu natum Dominum stringis ad dexteras, Aegipti profugum tu sequeris plagas: amissum Solymis qaeris et invenis, miscens gaudia fletibus.

4. Post mortem reliquos sors pia consecrat, Palmanque emeritos gloria suscipit: Tu vivens, superis par, frueris Deo Mira sorte beatior.

5. Nobis Summa Trias parce precantibus: da Joseph meritis sidera scandere, ut tandem liceat nos tibi perpetim, gratum promere canticum.