Saturday, December 20, 2008

Advent Calendar: Roman Door 20


Door to Casa di Santa Brigida. This house on the Piazza Farnese was rebuilt several times and is where the Swedish mystic St. Bridget and her daughter St. Catherine lived during the 1300s. It is next door to the Swedish National Church, and is today a guest house and convent for the sisters of the Order of the Most Holy Savior (the Bridgettines) founded by St. Bridget.

O Clavis David, et sceptrum domus Israel;
qui aperis, et nemo claudit;
claudis, et nemo aperit:
veni, et educ vinctum de domo carceris,
sedentem in tenebris, et umbra mortis.


O Key of David and sceptre of the House of Israel;
you open and no one can shut;
you shut and no one can open:
Come and lead the prisoners from the prison house,
those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death.

"I will place on his shoulder the key of the house of David; he shall open, and no one shall shut; he shall shut, and no one shall open." Isaiah 22:22
"His authority shall grow continually, and there shall be endless peace for the throne of David and his kingdom. He will establish and uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time onwards and for evermore." Isaiah 9:7

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Professor Berger (see yesterday's posting) also writes of the monastic cellarer who unlocked the best wine for his treat as he called: 'O Key of David, come, and come quickly.' 

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