The words to O Salutaris Hostia (O Saving Victim) were composed by Saint Thomas Aquinas for the feast of Corpus Christi, which the Church established n 1264. We sing it typically at Benediction after worshiping the exposed Eucharist. The two verses of the song were actually from a larger hymn that Saint Thomas wrote about our Lord's institution of the Eucharist at the Last Supper and His Passion. (source: ourcatholicprayers.com)

The English version of the lyrics are:

O saving Victim, opening wide
The gate of Heav'n to us below!
Our foes press on from every side;
Thine aid supply, thy strength bestow.

To your great name be endless praise,
Immortal Godhead, One in Three;
O grant us endless length of days
In our true native land with thee.

This beautiful card was published by the Bouasse-Jeune company in Paris in the 1890s. The company was formed in 1867 when the younger brother at Bouasse-Lebel, Emile Bouasse, left the company his older brother ran and started his own company. We believe the Jeune part of the company name is Louis Le Jeune, who since about 1856 had been the number two man at L. Turgis, the other great holy card publisher in Paris. Thus the third great holy card company of Paris was formed; the three companies created work that was generally regarded as the best in the world. The back of this particular card, shown above, was printed for an ordination in another country in 1896. (source: udayton.edu)


** IMPORTANT ** THE IMAGE IS SMALLER THAN THE PAPER! There is a white border of about 0.5" inch for 5x7", 1.3" for 8.5x11". All Approx! Fine art printers do this because the images are almost never the same rectangular ratio of the standard paper sizes. It also gives the prints a finished look, and lets them look good in a frame without a matt.

- Acid-free paper
- Archival pigments, rated to last for generations.
- Cardboard backer
- Above story of the art
- Enclosed in a tight-fitting, crystal clear bag.

Thanks for your interest!
Sue & John

"In order to communicate the message entrusted to her by Christ, the Church needs art." ~ St. Pope John Paul II

Original image is out-of-copyright. Descriptive text and image alterations (hence the whole new image) © by Sue Kouma Johnson - CatholicArtAndJewelry.