Hostis Herodes impie

Hostis Herodes impie. Sedulius* (fl. 425-450). This Epiphany hymn consists of verses (8, 9, 11, 13 and a doxology) from Sedulius’s abecedary poem Paean Alphabeticus de Christo, which begins with ‘A solis ortus cardine’*, and describes the chief wonders of Christ’s earthly life. This portion of the poem has verses beginning H (‘Hostis’), I (‘Ibant’), K (‘Katerua matrum personat’) L (‘Lauacra’) and M (‘Miraculis’). Because of the subject matter of the ‘Ibant magi’ verse  - the visit of the magi to Bethlehem - this hymn has routinely been associated with the Epiphany season. It came into use in the 9th-century New Hymnal (see ‘Medieval hymns and hymnals’*), and has been used in the Roman...