Merry Christmas

Have a Blessed Christmas Season!

This precipio is made of shells and greets all who enter the gate of our building.

Advent 2010: Crib of Zwickau

Advent 2010 is complete, and I hope you have enjoyed some of the Angels in Rome. I conclude this series with one of the many Christmas manger scenes in Rome. Since I have been living here, the precepio in the Panthon has come from an art competition in the German city of Zwickau. (The city was the first to embrace Lutheranism and is the birthplace of the composer Robert Schumann.) This year’s precepio was sculpted by Jo Harbort, age 59. He did not include any angels, but he does have a shepherd and kings.

Advent Calendar: Roman Angels 23

Angel across the street from Trevi Fountain

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 23

Advent Calendar: Roman Angels 22

Angels above the Holy Water Font

Oratorio San Francesco Severio "del Caravita"

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

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 Angels 21

Angel Accompanying the Flight into Egypt

Vatican Gardens

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 Angels 20

Angels from the Non-Catholic Cemetery

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.

O Antiphon for December 20

Advent Calendar: Roman Angels 19

Angels in the Basilica of San Clemente

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 19