Creator ineffabilis
Creator Ineffábilis (Latin for "O Creator Ineffable") is a prayer composed by the 13th century Doctor of the Church St. Thomas Aquinas. It is also called the "Prayer of the St. Thomas Aquinas Before Study" (Latin: Oratio S. Thomae Aquinatis ante studium) because St. Thomas "would often recite this prayer before he began his studies, writing, or preaching."[1] Pope Pius XI published this prayer in his 1923 encyclical letter on St. Thomas Aquinas, Studiorum Ducem.[2]
Text of the prayer
| Latin original | English translation |
| Creator ineffábilis, qui de thesáuris sapiéntiæ tuæ tres Angelórum hiearchías designásti et eas super cælum empýreum miro órdine collocásti, atque univérsi partes elegantíssime distribuísti: Tu, inquam, qui verus fons lúminis et sapiéntiæ díceris ac superéminens princípium, infúndere dignéris super intelléctus mei ténebras tuæ rádium claritátis, dúplices, in quibus natus sum, a me rémovens ténebras, peccátum scílicet et ignorántiam. Tu, qui linguas infántium facis disértas, linguam meam erudias atque in lábiis meis gratiam tuæ benedictiónis infúndas. Da mihi intelligéndi acúmen, retinéndi capacitátem, addiscéndi modum et facilitátem, interpretándi subtilitátem, loquéndi grátiam copiósam. Ingréssum ínstruas, progréssum dírigas, egréssum cómpleas. Tu, qui es verus Deus et Homo, qui vivis et regnas in sǽcula sæculórum. Amen | O Creator ineffable, who of the riches of Thy wisdom didst appoint three hierarchies of Angels and didst set them in wondrous order over the highest heavens, and who didst apportion the elements of the world most wisely: do Thou, who art in truth the fountain of light and wisdom, deign to shed upon the darkness of my understanding the rays of Thine infinite brightness, and remove far from me the twofold darkness in which I was born, namely, sin and ignorance. Do Thou, who givest speech to the tongues of little children, instruct my tongue and pour into my lips the grace of Thy benediction. Give me keenness of apprehension, capacity for remembering, method and ease in learning, insight in interpretation, and copious eloquence in speech. Instruct my beginning, direct my progress, and set Thy seal upon the finished work, Thou, who art true God and true Man, who livest and reignest world without end. Amen |
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