Showing posts with label Basilica San Paolo fuori le Mura. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Basilica San Paolo fuori le Mura. Show all posts

Saturday, December 18, 2010

Advent Calendar: Roman Angels 18

Angels above the door of the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls

O Adonai, et Dux domus Israel,
qui Moysi in igne flammae rubi apparuisti,
et ei in Sina legem dedisti:
veni ad redimendum nos in brachio extento.


O Adonai, and leader of the House of Israel,
who appeared to Moses in the fire of the burning bush
and gave him the law on Sinai:
Come and redeem us with an outstretched arm.

O Antiphone for December 18

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Advent Calendar: Roman Angels 8

Sarcophagus Angel
Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls

Prepare the way, O Zion; your Christ is drawing near!
Let every hill and valley a level way appear.
Greet one who comes in glory, foretold in sacred story.
Oh, blest is Christ that come In God’s most holy name.

Advent Hymn # 65
from the Hymnal 1982

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Advent Calendar: Roman Door 9

The Byzantine doors of the Basilica of San Paolo fuori le Mura.  The doors were donated by the Consul Pantaleone di Amalfi and produced in Constantinople by an artist named Theodoro in 1070. They were the main doors to the basilica before the fire of 1823. This fire almost completely destroyed the basilica and caused great damage to the doors. The reconstructed basilica was given a larger central door and in 1966, when the Restoration Laboratories of the Vatican Museum finally repaired the damage, the Byzantien doors were placed in the Holy Door opening facing inward to keep them from being exposed to the elements. They were further restored in 1999 by Sergio Angelucci, in preparation for the Jubilee of 2000. There are 54 panels on the doors, depicting Old and New Testament scenes as well as the martyrdom of the the apostles.

Detail of one of the panels

For Behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people; but the Lord shall rise upon thee, and His glory shall be seen upon thee, and the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising. - The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light; and they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.
From Handel's Messian: Part I
Bass Recitative and Air