"Victimae paschali laudes" is one of only four medieval sequences that were preserved in the Roman Missal of the Tridentine Mass published in 1570 after the Council of Trent (1545–1563).
The three others were "Veni Sancte Spiritus" for the feast of Pentecost, "Lauda Sion" for Corpus Christi, and "Dies irae" for the Requiem Mass (a fifth sequence, "Stabat Mater" for the Feast of the Seven Dolours of the Blessed Virgin Mary, was added to the missal by Pope Benedict XIII in 1727[1]).
Its text was set to different music by many Renaissance and Baroque composers, including Busnois, Josquin, Lassus, Willaert, Hans Buchner, Palestrina, Byrd, Perosi, and Fernando de las Infantas.
[Credendum est magis soli Mariae veraci Quam Judaeorum Turbae fallaci.]
Scimus Christum surrexisse a mortuis vere: tu nobis, victor Rex, miserere.
Happy they who hear the witness, Mary's word believing Above the tales of Jewry deceiving.
The sheep are ransomed by the Lamb; and Christ, the undefiled, hath sinners to his Father reconciled.
This metric paraphrase is commonly sung to various tunes, including VICTIMAE PASCHALI, ST GEORGE'S WINDSOR, or, with alleluias, to EASTER HYMN or LLANFAIR.
[4][5] Christ the Lord is risen today; Christians, haste your vows to pay; Offer ye your praises meet At the Paschal Victim's feet.
For the sheep the Lamb hath bled, Sinless in the sinner's stead; "Christ is risen," today we cry; Now He lives no more to die.
Christ, the victim undefiled, Man to God hath reconciled; Whilst in strange and awful strife Met together Death and Life: Christians, on this happy day Haste with joy your vows to pay; "Christ is risen," today we cry; Now He lives no more to die.
'I beheld, where Christ had lain, empty tomb and angels twain, I beheld the glory bright of the rising Lord of light; Christ my hope is risen again; now he lives, and lives to reign.'
Christ, who once for sinners bled, Now the first born from the dead, Throned in endless might and power, Lives and reigns forevermore.