Benedictus (canticle)
[1] The Pulpit Commentary refers to a belief that the Benedictus was "first introduced into the public worship of the Church about the middle of the sixth century by St. Caesarius of Arles".
It also features in various other liturgical offices, notably at a funeral, at the moment of interment, when words of thanksgiving for the Redemption are specially in place as an expression of Christian hope.
The Greek version of the canticle appears in the Gospel of Luke 1:68-79: Εὐλογητὸς κύριος ὁ θεὸς τοῦ Ἰσραήλ,ὁτι ἐπεσκέψατο καὶ ἐποίησεν λύτρωσιν τῷ λαῷ αὐτοῦ,καὶ ἠγειρεν κέρας σωτηρίας ἡμῖνἐν οἴκῳ Δαυὶδ παιδὸς αὐτοῦ,καθὼς ἐλάλησεν διὰ στόματος τῶν ἀγίων ἀπ' αἰῶνος προφητῶν αὐτοῦ,σωτηρίαν ἐξ ἐχθρῶν ἡμῶν καὶ ἐκ χειρὸς πάντων τῶν μισούντων ἡμᾶς·ποιῆσαι ἔλεος μετὰ τῶν πατέρων ἡμῶνκαὶ μνησθῆναι διαθήκης ἀγίας αὐτοῦ,ὅρκον ὃν ὤμοσεν πρὸς Ἀβραὰμ τὸν πατέρα ἡμῶν,τοῦ δοῦναι ἡμῖνἀφόβως ἐκ χειρὸς ἐχθρῶν ῥυσθένταςλατρεύειν αὐτῷ ἐν ὁσιότητικαὶ δικαιοσύνῃ ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ πάσαις ταῖς ἡμέραις ἡμῶν.Καὶ σὺ δέ, παιδίον, προφήτης ὑψίστου κληθήσῃ,προπορεύσῃ γὰρ ἐνώπιον κυρίου ἑτοιμάσαι ὁδοὺς αὐτοῦ,τοῦ δοῦναι γνῶσιν σωτηρίας τῷ λαῷ αὐτοῦἐν ἀφέσει ἀμαρτιῶν αὐτῶν,διὰ σπλάγχνα ἐλέους θεοῦ ἡμῶν,ἐν οἷς ἐπισκέψεται ἡμᾶς ἀνατολὴ ἐξ ὑψους,ἐπιφᾶναι τοῖς ἐν σκότει καὶ σκιᾷ θανάτου καθημένοις,τοῦ κατευθῦναι τοὺς πόδας ἡμῶν εἰς ὁδὸν εἰρήνης.Benedictus Dominus Deus Israel; quia visitavit et fecit redemptionem plebis suae et erexit cornu salutis nobis, in domo David pueri sui, sicut locutus est per os sanctorum, qui a saeculo sunt, prophetarum eius, salutem ex inimicis nostris, et de manu omnium, qui oderunt nos; ad faciendam misericordiam cum patribus nostris, et memorari testamenti sui sancti, iusiurandum, quod iuravit ad Abraham patrem nostrum, daturum se nobis, ut sine timore, de manu inimicorum nostrum liberati, serviamus illi in sanctitate et iustitia coram ipso omnibus diebus nostris.
Et tu, puer, propheta Altissimi vocaberis: praeibis enim ante faciem Domini parare vias eius, ad dandam scientiam salutis plebi eius in remissionem peccatorum eorum, per viscera misericordiae Dei nostri, in quibus visitabit nos oriens ex alto, illuminare his, qui in tenebris et in umbra mortis sedent, ad dirigendos pedes nostros in viam pacis.
[4] From the Douay–Rheims Bible (Challoner Revision):[5] Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; because he hath visited and wrought the redemption of His people: From the 1662 Book of Common Prayer:[6] Blessed be the Lord God of Israel : for he hath visited, and redeemed his people; This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed.
