"This world-famous hymn, one of the grandeſt in the treaſury of the Latin Church, was compoſed by Fortunatus on occaſion of the reception of certain relics by Saint Gregory of Tours and Saint Radegunde, previouſly to the conſecration of a church at Poitiers. It is therefore ſtrictly and primarily a proceſſional hymn, though, very naturally, afterwards adapted to Paſſion-tide."— Mediæval Hymns.
"C'eſt de Fortunat qu'eſt le Vexilla Regis compoſé, à l'occaſion du morceau de la vraie croix, envoyé par l'empereur Juſtin à St. Radegonde."—Biographie Univerſelle.
The laſt two verſes were added when the hymn was appropriated to Paſſion-tide. The ending of Fortunatus is this:
"With fragrance dropping from each bough,
Sweeter than ſweeteſt nectar thou:
Decked with the fruit of peace and praiſe,
And glorious with Triumphal lays:—
"Hail, Altar! Hail, O Victim! Thee
Decks now Thy Paſſion's Victory;
Where Life for ſinners death endured,
And life by death for man procured."
