Funeral song

Písnička na pospěch složená ku pohřbu dvojí ctihodného, v cirkvi Boží zasloužilého i vzácného muže a služebníka Božího, kněze Pavla Fabricia, Jednoty bratrské seniora a po mnohá léta v Lešně církve české správce věrného: kterýž dne 3. Januarii léta Páně 1649 život svůj štastně a blahoslaveně v Pánu dokonal

A song composed in haste for the funeral of the doubly venerable, in God’s Church worthy and rare man and servant of God, the priest Pavel Fabricius, Senior of the Unitas Fratrum and for many years faithful administrator of the Czech church at Leszno; who on January 3^rd vin the Year of Our Lord 1649 happily and blessedly completed his life in the Lord.

Origin of the work:
1649 Leszno

Editions:
  1649 Leszno

1938 Prague, in: Věstník Královské české společnosti nauk, no. 4, pp68-70

1952 Prague, in: J. A. Komenský, Duchovní písně. Prepared for publication by A. Škarka 

1983 Prague, J. A. Comenii Opera omnia, vol. 4

Content:

This is a song composed in honour of the deceased Pavel Fabricius. It is conceived as an acrostic, meaning that the initial letters of each stanza spell out Fabricius’name and surname.

Pavel Fabricius was the administrator of the Czech church at Leszno and a Senior of the Unitas Fratrum. He died on January 3^rd 1649. One of the speakers at his funeral (held on January 6^th the same year) was his friend and Co-senior, Comenius, who in addition to the Funeral sermon over that most worthy man, the priest Pavel Fabricius (see the entry for the Funeral sermon) left behind him this rhymed Song. It is a Baroque composition with a strong, sensitive content.

The spirit of the departed rejoices in departing this world and is welcomed in heaven like a bride with her husband Christ. It praises the beauty of Heaven, where Satan’s power cannot reach, and where no falsehood has a place, where the Lord has set for it a banquet of heavenly delights and where the greatest joy is to belong before the brilliant face of God. The tears of those left behind are misplaced, if he has been crowned with the crown of immortality. He advices the faithful not to descend into despair, but to hope for life everlasting. He bids farewell to his wife and daughter and commends them to God. While Comenius may have composed the Song in haste, artistically it is among the best works of Czech Baroque composition, and the most shining example of Comenius’ compositions for particular occasions.

For further study, see also:

A. Škarka, Nový komeniologický nález. In: Věstník Královské společnosti nauk, no.4, pp41-60

J. A. Comenii Opera omnia, vol. 4. Prague 1983, pp349-350

Jan Kumpera, Jan Amos Komenský, poutník na rozhraní věků. Prague & Ostrava 1992, pp286-287