LATIN AND FRENCH

Ave Maris Stella,
Dei Mater Alma
Atque Semper Virgo,
Felix Coeli Porta. 
Felix Coeli Porta.
 
Acadie, ma patrie,
À ton nom, je me lie,
Ma vie, ma foi sont à toi,
Tu me protégeras. 
Tu me protégeras. 

Acadie, ma patrie,
Ma terre et mon défi,
De près, de loin tu me tiens,
Mon cœur est acadien.
Mon cœur est acadien.
 
Acadie, ma patrie,
Ton histoire, je la vis,
La fierté, je te la dois,
En l'avenir, je crois. 
En l'avenir, je crois. 
 
Ave Maris Stella,
Dei Mater Alma
Atque Semper Virgo,
Felix Coeli Porta.
Felix Coeli Porta.

---
ENGLISH

Hail Thou Star of the Ocean,
Portal of the Sky,
Ever Virgin Mother
Of The Lord Most High. 
Of The Lord Most High.
 
Acadia, my homeland,
To your name I draw myself,
My life, my faith belong to you,
You will protect me. 
You will protect me.
 
Acadia, my homeland,
My land and my challenge,
From near, from far
You hold on to me,
My heart is Acadian. 
My heart is Acadian. 
 
Acadia, my homeland,
I live your history,
I owe you my pride,
I believe in your future. 
I believe in your future. 
 
Hail Thou Star of the Ocean,
Portal of the Sky,
Ever Virgin Mother
Of The Lord Most High. 
Of The Lord Most High.

-------------------------

Acadia
"Ave Maris Stella" (Star of the Sea, We Hail Thee)

Words by: unknown
Music by: unknown
Adopted: 1884, revised 1992

Acadia is the French speaking area of eastern North America, primarily in the
Maritime provinces of Canada. Chosen at the Acadian national congress of 1884,
the original lyrics are in Latin, probably in honour of the religion of most
Acadians, Catholicism. As for the anthem, based on the minutes, it seems that
total and full improvisation was at its origins. Indeed, members of the
commission responsible for reviewing the selection of the flag and the anthem
had wisely concluded that time did not allow them to review both issues at the
same time. Therefore, they passed a resolution referring the issue of a
national anthem to a future congress. However, once the flag had been
introduced to the delegates by Father Richard, he started singing the Ave Maris
Stella as if to close the congress. That is when someone shouted: "we need a
song!" Then, Pascal Poirier (future senator) took up the gauntlet: "this
national air (...) that is it (...) found in a wonderful way that shows the
finger of God (...) it is the Ave Maris Stella". The resolution was submitted
in the ongoing session, where the assembly approved it.

At the 1992 meeting of the Société Nationale de l'Acadie, the anthem was
revised somewhat, the first and last verses of the original Latin lyrics were
kept, but the second, third and fourth verses were now in French (the language
spoke in Acadia).

See also: Canada.

MUSIC

