Copa Santa

{{Short description|Song}} '''''La Coupo Santo''''' (The Holy Cup), in full '''''La Cansoun de la Coupo''''' (The song of the Cup) in original modern (or Mistralian) norm [[Provençal dialect|Provençal]] (in classical norm, '''''La Copa Santa''''' in full '''''Lo Cant de la Copa Santa''''' (The song of the Holy Cup) or '''''La Cançon de la Copa''''' (The Song of the Cup)) is considered the anthem of the [[Félibrige]]. It is sung in [[Provençal dialect|Provençal]], one of six [[Occitan language|Occitan]] dialects.

It refers to a silver [[Chalice (cup)|chalice]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://catarismo.jolith.com/images/copasanta.gif |title=Archived copy |website=catarismo.jolith.com |access-date=12 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061011214050/http://catarismo.jolith.com/images/copasanta.gif |archive-date=11 October 2006 |url-status=dead}}</ref> the [[Catalonia|Catalan]] [[Félibrige|félibres]] offered their Provençal counterparts on July 30, 1867 during a [[Banquet]] held in [[Avignon]] to thank them for hiding [[Victor Balaguer]], a poet from [[Barcelona]] who'd sought political asylum out of Spain. The cup was made by [[Guillaume Fulconis]] and the silversmith Jarry.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.laprovence.com/article/edition-arles/4557196/provencaux-voici-150-ans-que-vous-avez-recu-la-coupo.html|title=Arles : " Provençaux, voici 150 ans que vous avez reçu la Coupo santo"|date=28 July 2017}}</ref>

The cup is traditionally entrusted to the [[Félibrige#Capouliés of the Félibrige|capoulié]], who presides over the [[Félibrige]]. It is showcased every year at the society's annual congress, called ''la Santa Estèla''. The banquet is officially closed when the ''Copa Santa'' has been sung. It was initially written by [[Frédéric Mistral]] to commemorate the fraternal bond that unites the [[Occitania|Occitan]] and Catalan nations, and the music was taken from a [[Christmas carol]] from Friar Serapion: ''Guilhaume, Tòni, Pèire''. It stands among the best-known anthems of Occitania alongside ''[[Se Canta]]'' and ''[[De cap tà l'immortèla]]''. The audience is supposed to stand up for the last verse.

==Description== [[Frédéric Mistral]] described the cup with these words in ''L'Armana prouvençau'': <blockquote> It is a cup of antique shape, supported by a palm tree. Against the palm tree, standing up and facing each other, two gentle figurines that depict Catalonia and Provence as sisters. Provence wraps its right arm around her friend's neck, as a token of amity; Catalonia holds her right hand on her heart and seems to be thanking her. At the bottom of each figurine, dressed in the [[Latin]] manner and with their breasts naked, lie their respective coat of arms in an escutcheon. Around the cup and outside it, written on a braid intertwined with laurels, the following words can be read (in [[Catalan language|Catalan]]): "Souvenir offered by the Catalan [[Patrician (post-Roman Europe)|Patrician]]s to the Provençal Félibres for the hospitality given to the Catalan poet Victor Balaguer, 1867." And on the pedestal these other finely engraved inscriptions can be found: "They say it is dead, But to me, it's still alive. V. Balaguer Ah! if only they could hear me! Ah! if only they would follow me! F. Mistral" </blockquote>

==Lyrics== {| |''In Mistralian norm [[Provençal dialect|Provençal]]:'' Prouvençau, veici la Coupo Que nous vèn di Catalan A-de-rèng beguen en troupo Lou vin pur de nostre plan

''Chorus'' '''Coupo Santo''' '''E versanto''' '''Vuejo à plen bord,''' '''Vuejo abord''' '''Lis estrambord''' '''E l'enavans di fort!'''

D'un vièi pople fièr e libre Sian bessai la finicioun; E, se toumbon li felibre, Toumbara nosto nacioun

D'uno raço que regreio Sian bessai li proumié gréu; Sian bessai de la patrìo Li cepoun emai li priéu.

Vuejo-nous lis esperanço E li raive dóu jouvènt, Dóu passat la remembranço, E la fe dins l'an que vèn,

Vuejo-nous la couneissènço Dóu Verai emai dóu Bèu, E lis àuti jouïssènço Que se trufon dóu toumbèu

Vuejo-nous la Pouësìo Pèr canta tout ço que viéu, Car es elo l'ambrousìo, Que tremudo l'ome en diéu

Pèr la glòri dóu terraire Vautre enfin que sias counsènt. Catalan, de liuen, o fraire, Coumunien tóutis ensèn! ||''In classical norm [[Provençal dialect|Provençal]]:'' Provençaus, vaicí la copa Que nos ven dei Catalans A de rèng beguem en tropa Lo vin pur de nòstre plant

''Chorus'' '''Copa santa''' '''E versanta''' '''Vueja a plen bòrd''' '''Vueja abòrd''' '''Leis estrambòrds''' '''E l'enavans dei fòrts '''

D'un vièlh pòble fièr e liure Siam bensai la finicion E se tomban lei felibres Tombarà nòstra nacion

D'una raça que regrelha Siam bensai lei promiers greus Siam bensai de la patria Lei cepons e mai lei prieus

Vueja-nos leis esperanças E lei raives dau jovent Dau passat la remembrança E la fe dins l'an que ven

Vueja-nos la coneissença Dau verai e mai dau bèu E leis autei joïssenças Que se trufan dau tombèu

Vueja-nos la Poesia Pèr cantar tot çò que viu Car es ela l'ambrosia Que tremuda l'òme en dieu

Pèr la glòria dau terraire Vautres enfin que siatz consents Catalans de luenh, ò fraires Comuniem toteis ensems ||''In French:'' Provençaux, voici la coupe Qui nous vient des Catalans. Tour à tour buvons ensemble Le vin pur de notre cru.

''Chorus'' '''Coupe sainte''' '''Et débordante''' '''Verse à pleins bords,''' '''Verse à flots''' '''Les enthousiasmes''' '''Et l'énergie des forts! '''

D'un ancien peuple fier et libre Nous sommes peut-être la fin; Et, si tombent les félibres, Tombera notre nation.

D'une race qui regerme Peut-être sommes-nous les premiers jets; De la patrie, peut-être, nous sommes Les piliers et les chefs.

Verse nous les espérances Et les rêves de la jeunesse, Le souvenir du passé Et la foi dans l'an qui vient.

Verse-nous la connaissance Du Vrai comme du Beau, Et les hautes jouissances Qui se rient de la tombe.

Verse-nous la Poésie Pour chanter tout ce qui vit, Car c'est elle l'ambroisie Qui transforme l'homme en Dieu.

Pour la gloire du pays Vous enfin qui êtes consentants nos alliés, Catalans, de loin, oh frères, Tous ensemble communions! ||''In English:'' Provençal people, this is the cup That the Catalans gave us Let us drink in turn The wine from our wineyards

''Chorus'' '''Holy cup''' '''And overflowing''' '''May you pour abundantly''' '''May you pour in streams''' '''The enthusiasm''' '''And the energy of the strong '''

Of an old and proud people We may be the very last And should the félibres fall So will our nation fall

Of a race germinating again We may be the first shoots We may be of our motherland The pillars and the leaders

May you pour us the hopes And the dreams of the youth Of the past the memories And the faith in next year

May you pour us the knowledge Of truth and beauty And the other pleasures That defy the tomb

May you pour us the poetry To sing all that lives For this is the [[ambrosia]] That turns man into a god

For the glory of the land You our allies at last Catalans from afar, o brothers Let us receive communion together |}

Notice: ''For both norms of Provençal orthography, pronunciation is almost the same.''

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== * {{in lang|en|fr}} & ([[Occitan language|Occitan]]) [http://mtcn.free.fr/mtcn-traditional-music-midi-popular-song.php#coupo Access to lyrics, music sheet, and MIDI file] * [http://www.notreprovence.fr/en_movement_felibrige_coupo.php Notreprovence.fr in English]

==Wikisource== * [http://wikisource.org/wiki/Copa_Santa Copa Santa]

[[Category:French patriotic songs|Copa Santa]] [[Category:Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur]] [[Category:French anthems]] [[Category:Occitan music]] [[Category:Frédéric Mistral]]