| Description: | Today, August 6th, is the Feast of the Transfiguration.
It is the day we celebrate the occasion on which Christ, as He was beginning to teach His disciples that He must die and rise again, revealed Himself in shining splendor to Peter, James, and John. Moses and Elijah were present, and are taken to signify that the Law and the Prophets testify that Jesus is the promised Messiah. God the Father also proclaimed him as such, saying, "This is my Beloved Son. Listen to him." For a moment the veil is drawn aside, and men still on earth are permitted a glimpse of the heavenly reality, the glory of the Eternal Triune God.
The well-known hymn-tune, "Aurelia" was composed by Samuel Sebastian Wesley (1810–1876), the illegitimate son of Samuel Wesley (1766–1837) He is considered the most important English church composer between Purcell and Stanford.
He was successively organist of Leeds Parish Church, and the cathedrals of Hereford, Exeter, Winchester, and Gloucester.
The text was written by St. Cosmas (Cosmos), and the translation done by John Mason Neale (1818-1866).
The free accompaniment in the last verse is by T. Tertius Noble (1867-1953), and slightly "altered" by me.
The score is attached below, as well as photos of Wesley, Neale, Noble, and several paintings of the Transfiguration. The full text is given in the First Comment.
Here is TODAY'S QUIZ!!!
In most churches, the Transfiguration is observed TWICE in the Church Year. August 6th is the traditional day of the observance. When is the "other time" that it is observed?!?
The Collect for the day: O God, who on the holy mount didst reveal to chosen witnesses Thy well-beloved Son, wonderfully transfigured, in raiment white and glistening: Mercifully grant that we, being delivered from the disquietude of this world, may by faith behold the King in his beauty; who with thee, O Father, and thee, O Holy Ghost, liveth and reigneth, one God, world without end. |
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