Vidi Aquam

From the photo files of the National Cathedral

I'm way overdue for a tome on (the great) Holy Week music at St. John's. While I'm collecting my inner musings on all that was so artfully and soulfully done by the choir, here's a poetic splashly excursion into the heart of the traditional* Vidi Aquam baptismal sprinkling anthem text, by Fr. William McNichols

Mesmerized inside -
reeling from
winds of change,
and only God knows
how many false prophets,
dreams and voices,
I saw water gushing
from a hydrant
on Houston Street,
near the church
where the Child
touches Anthony
so gently,
so gracefully.
Water flooded the streets
pouring out
like a miraculous
healing font,
and once it
touched and swirled
around my feet
there was
Peace.

While searching for a version of the traditional text for my own musical setting** a handful of years ago, I stumbled onto this inspiring, grace-filled, spirit-tingling poem. It inspired a rhapsodic piano accompaniment.

This year, the choir did a wonderful, dramatic, monastery-droning setting by Charles Hammell of the latin text. Loved it! We felt inspired to walk the aisles, as if in cloistered corridors, but we would have collided with Father C on his sprinkling route.

*I saw water flowing from the temple, from the right side, alleluia; and all those to whom that water came were saved, and they shall say: alleluia, alleluia.

**Yes, Felipe, it's still not officially finished...