Thursday, December 20, 2007

Merry Christmas


Vincenzo and I are leaving Friday morning for a week, visiting his family in Sicily. I will be away from the internet during most of this time, so I have posted the remaining Advent Calendar Windows for you to enjoy on each of the remaining days leading to Christmas.

We wish you a Blessed Christmas!

Advent Calendar Roman Window 24


It is Christmas eve, and the cycle of "O Antiphons" is complete.

The Proclamation of Christmas from the Roman Martyrology.
In the five thousand one hundred and ninety-ninth year
of the creation of the world

from the time when God in the beginning created the heavens and the earth;
the two thousand nine hundred and fifty-seventh year after the flood;
the two thousand and fifteenth year from the birth of Abraham;
the one thousand five hundred and tenth year
from Moses 
and the going forth of the people of Israel from Egypt;
the one thousand and thirty-second year from David's being anointed king;
in the sixty-fifth week according to the prophecy of Daniel;
in the one hundred and ninety-fourth Olympiad;
the seven hundred and fifty-second year from the foundation of the city of Rome;
the forty second year of the reign of Octavian Augustus;
the whole world being at peace,
in the sixth age of the world,
Jesus Christ the eternal God and Son of the eternal Father,

desiring to sanctify the world by his most merciful coming,

being conceived by the Holy Spirit,

and nine months having passed since his conception,
was born in Bethlehem of Judea of the Virgin Mary,

being made flesh.

The Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ according to the flesh.

Advent Calendar Roman Window 23

O Emmanuel

O Emmanuel, Rex et legifer noster,
exspectatio Gentium, et Salvator earum:
veni ad salvandum nos, Domine, Deus noster.


O Emmanuel, our king and our lawgiver,
the hope of the nations and their Saviour:
Come and save us, O Lord our God.
O Antiphon for December 23rd

Advent Calendar Roman Window 22

O Rex Gentium

O Rex Gentium, et desideratus earum,
lapisque angularis, qui facis utraque unum:
veni, et salva hominem, quem de limo formasti.

Windows of the building designed by Richard Meier to protect the Ara Pacis, an altar to peace, commissioned by the Roman Senate in 13 BC.

O King of the nations, and their desire, the cornerstone making both one:
Come and save the human race, which you fashioned from clay.
O Antiphon for December 22

Advent Calendar Roman Window 21

O Oriens

O Oriens,
splendor lucis aeternae, et sol justitiae:
veni, et illumina sedentes in tenebris, et umbra mortis.


O Morning Star,
splendour of light eternal and sun of righteousness:
Come and enlighten those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death.
O Antiphon for December 21

Advent Calendar Roman Window 20

O Clavis David

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.

A view of Rome from a window of the Scuderie del Quirinale, originally built as the Papal Stables by Pope Innocent XIII. It is now a gallery for art exhibitions.

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.
O Antiphon for December 20

Wednesday, December 19, 2007

Advent Calendar Roman Window 19

O Radix Jesse
O Radix Jesse, qui stas in signum populorum,
super quem continebunt reges os suum,
quem Gentes deprecabuntur:
veni ad liberandum nos, jam noli tardare
.

O Root of Jesse, standing as a sign among the peoples;
before you kings will shut their mouths,
to you the nations will make their prayer:
Come and deliver us, and delay no longer.
O Antiphon for December 19th