Christmas novena

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The nine-day Christmas Novena - Latin : Novena Adventus Natalis Domini , also known in Italian as Novena del Bambin (Gesù) - from December 16 to 24 is an Advent novena in preparation for Christmas , the celebration of the birth of Christ .

history

In Rome in 1618 a novena in preparation for Christmas is known, which consisted of reading or singing verses from the books of the prophets. Presumably on this basis, the Turin priest in Vincentine Carlo Antonio Vacchetta (1665–1747) put together the form of the Christmas novena , which was sung for the first time in 1720 and then spread from Turin throughout Italy and beyond.

Components

The daily prayer consists of The Angel of the Lord or, as part of Vespers, several psalm chants , from December 17 the so-called O- Antiphon of the day, which is sung before the Magnificat , usually a short scripture reading as well as the daily prayer and the blessing prayer .

Advent psalm

The call to the Invitatorium Let us worship the king who is to come! (Latin: Regem venturum Dominum, venite, adoremus! ) belongs to various Old Testament psalm and prophetic words :

  • Rejoice loudly, daughter of Zion! Shout out, daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king is coming to you. He is just and helps; he is humble and rides a donkey, a foal, the boy of a donkey. ( Zech 9.9  EU ) The people who live in the dark see a bright light; A light shines on those who dwell in the land of darkness. ( Isa 9,1  EU ), On that day the mountains are oozing with wine, the hills are overflowing with milk, and water flows in all the streams of Judah. A spring rises in the house of the Lord and waters the Shittim valley ( Joel 4,18  EU ); because the teacher appears ( Isa 30:20  EU ) who builds us up again. ( Isa 44.28  EU )
  • His rule is great and the peace has no end. On the throne of David he rules his kingdom; he strengthens and sustains it by right and righteousness, now and forever. ( Jes 9,6  EU )
  • Our shield belongs to the Lord, our King to the holy God of Israel. ( Ps 89,19  EU ), May he rule from sea to sea, from the river to the ends of the earth. ( Ps 72.8  EU )
  • It poured down like rain on the fields, like rain showers that wet the earth. Justice may flourish in his days and great peace until the moon is no more. ( Ps 72,6-7  EU ); All kings must pay homage to him, all peoples serve him. ( Ps 72.11  EU )
  • Because a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The rule is on his shoulder; He is called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. ( Jes 9/5  EU )
  • But you, Bethlehem-Efrata, so small among the districts of Judah, from you one will emerge for me who is to rule over Israel. Its origin lies in the distant past, in days long past ( Wed 5.1  EU )
  • (is only sung on the 24th): Tomorrow the sin of the earth will pass and the Savior of the universe will rule over us.

The O antiphons

O-antiphons in the Poissy antiphonals
  • December 17th: O wisdom, proceeding from the mouth of the Most High. You span the world from one end to the other, you regulate everything in power and mildness: o come and reveal to us the path of wisdom and insight!
  • December 18th: O Adonai , Lord and Leader of the House of Israel. In the flaming thorn bush you appeared to Moses and gave him the law on the mountain : Oh come and set us free with your strong arm!
  • December 19th: O sprout from Isai's root , set as a symbol for the peoples. In front of you the rulers of the earth fall silent, you plead to the peoples: oh come and save us, arise, delay no longer!
  • December 20th: O key of David, and scepter of the house of Israel. You open and nobody can close. You close, and no power can open again: oh come and open the dungeon of darkness and the fetters of death!
  • December 21st: O morning star, splendor of the undamaged light, the sun shining in righteousness: O come and enlighten, those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death!
  • December 22nd: O King of all peoples, their expectation and longing; Keystone that holds the building together: o come and save the person whom you formed from earth!
  • December 23rd: O Immanuel , our King and Teacher, you hope and Savior of the peoples: O come, hurry and get us help, you our Lord and our God!

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ John E. Rybolt: The Christmas Novena. In: Vincentian Heritage Journal. De Paul University, 1985, accessed December 19, 2017 .
  2. ↑ Storia della Novena di Natale. Missionari Vincenziani, Provincia CM di Torino, accessed December 19, 2017 .
  3. ↑ Book of hours. The celebration of the Divine Office for the Catholic dioceses of the German-speaking area. Authentic edition for liturgical use, Herder, 1979

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