English: Rejoice, oh Mother Poland | |
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Royal Anthem of Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth | |
Lyrics | Vincent of Kielcza, 1253 |
Published | 8 May 1254 |
Succeeded by | Poland Is Not Yet Lost |
Audio sample | |
"Gaude Mater Polonia" performed by Educatus mixed chorus of Pedagogical University of Cracow conducted by Adam Korzeniowski |
Gaude Mater Polonia (Medieval Latin for "Rejoice, oh Mother Poland"; Ecclesiastical Latin: [ˈɡau̯.dɛ ˈmaː.tɛr pɔˈlɔː.ni.a], Polish: Raduj się, matko Polsko) was one of the most significant medieval Polish hymns, written in Latin between the 13th and the 14th century to commemorate Saint Stanislaus, Bishop of Kraków. Polish knights sang and chanted the hymn after victory in battle, presumably to one of the Gregorian melodies associated with the Eucharistic psalm O Salutaris Hostia on which it is based. It's widely considered a historical, national anthem of the Kingdom of Poland and the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth.[1]