Recordare, Sanctae Crucis

Recordare, Sanctae Crucis is the beginning of a passion-hymn composed by the "Seraphic Doctor," St. Bonaventura (q.v.). This is his best poem, and consists of fifteen stanzas, the last bearing a strong resemblance to the next to the last of the Stabat Mater Dolorosa. There are two English translations of this hvmnone by Dr. H. Harbaugh in the Mecersburg Review, 1858, p. 481 ("Make the Cross your Meditation"); another by Dr. J. X. V. Alexander, of which the first stanza runs thus:

"Jesus' holy cross and dying, Oh, remember! ever eying Endless pleasure's pathway here; At the cross thy mindful station Keep, and still in meditation All unsated persevere."

It has also been translated into German by Simrock, in his Lauctda Zion Salvatorem, p. 269; by Rambach, in his Anthology, i, 315, "An des Herrn ircuz zu denken," which is now generally found in German hymn-books; by Stadelmann, in Blissler's Auswahl altchristlicher hymmen, p. 118, "Woll des heiligen Kilenzes deuken;" by Konigsfeld, in his collection of Latin Hymns,. i, 151, "An des Herrn Kreuzesleiden." The English of Alexander is given in Schaff's Christ in Song, p. 165. (B. P.)