O Sodales is a Roman Catholic hymn

Hymn

A hymn is a type of song, usually religious, specifically written for the purpose of praise, adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification...

 to the Blessed Virgin Mary. It is also the signature song of the American College of the Immaculate Conception, the American seminary

Seminary

A seminary, theological college, or divinity school is an institution of secondary or post-secondary education for educating students in theology, generally to prepare them for ordination as clergy or for other ministry...

 located in Leuven

Leuven

Leuven is the capital of the province of Flemish Brabant in the Flemish Region, Belgium...

, Belgium

Belgium

Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...

, which has maintained the hymn over the past century and a half.

Origins

The tune of the hymn is reputed to have been composed by seminarians fleeing before the armies of Napoleon in the early 19th century.

The Latin

Latin

Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...

 text of the hymn as it has been passed down over the years was composed by one of the earliest seminarians of the college, Gustave Limpens, in 1862. It reflects the fraternity felt at the college at the time, as well as the seminarian's missionary zeal to go to North America

North America

North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...

. The song composed by Limpens was passed down over the years at the American College, until it gradually became accepted as its signature hymn. The college closed because of the Second World War, but was reopened in 1952 by its sixth rector, Thomas Francis Maloney

Thomas Francis Maloney

Most Reverend Thomas Francis Maloney was a Roman Catholic priest and subsequently bishop who served as the sixth rector of the American College of the Immaculate Conception in Louvain, Belgium, and later as an auxiliary bishop of the diocese of Providence.-Early years and education:Maloney was...

, who reintroduced the hymn to the college, where it has been sung regularly ever since.

Contemporary usage

The hymn remains well-known among the college's students and alumni today. It is regularly sung at special events at the American College during the academic year, especially at the opening banquet in the autumn, the college's patronal feast of the Immaculate Conception

Immaculate Conception

The Immaculate Conception of Mary is a dogma of the Roman Catholic Church, according to which the Virgin Mary was conceived without any stain of original sin. It is one of the four dogmata in Roman Catholic Mariology...

 on December 8, and the closing banquet in June. At the closing banquet, it is the tradition of the college that, during the singing of O Sodales, the graduating students stand on chairs facing west toward North America.

Lyrics

	Latin lyrics	English Translation
Refrain	O Sodales geminemus voce plena saepius in hac die peramoena vivat Virgo virginum.	O Companions, let us more frequently join together with full voice on this very pleasant day singing: May the Virgin of Virgins live forever!
Verse 1	Ad Mariam matrem piam hæc domus eloquia virgam Jes se spem opresæ mentis et refugium.	This company expresses praise to Mary, our loving Mother, flower of Jesse, hope and recourse for burdened hearts.
Verse 2	Pius nonus hanc conceptus dixit sine macula gentes cunctæ sic laudatum salutarunt plausibus.	Pope Pius the Ninth declared her conception without stain and so all peoples have greeted this declaration with applause.
Verse 3	O quam fulget et quam pulchra stans ad thronum Filii! O quam potens quam benigne voces nostras excipit.	O how resplendent and how beautiful she stands at the throne of her Son! O how powerfully and how graciously she accepts our requests.
Verse 4	Audi Mater preces nostras; robus adde cordibus, ad certandas Dei pugnas velis nos instruere.	Dear Mother, attend to our prayers; give strength to our hearts, teach us to fight the battles of God with your might.
Verse 5	Sub vexillo Tui Nati ad bellandum gredimus da nos gressus Crucifixi prædicantes insequi.	We have advanced in combat under the banner of your Son, show us the way to follow the preachers of the Crucified One.
Verse 6	Per te fontem sacra verba descendans in labia ut amantis cordis flammam excitare valeant.	From your lips as from a fountain the holy words descend so that they may enkindle a flame of love in our hearts.
Verse 7	Fac nos omnes lætabundos te Patrona, strenue exsilire prædicatum fidem in America.	With you as our Patron, make us all full of joy to steadfastly proclaim the faith in America.
Final Refrain	O Sodales supplicemus Matrem semper virginem ut illæsos conducat omnes in Americam!	O Companions, let us beseech our Ever-virgin Mother to bring together all of us unharmed into America!