Vincentian Heritage Journal

Volume 6 | Issue 2 Article 6

10-1-1985

The Christmas NovenaJohn Rybolt C.M., Ph.D.

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Recommended CitationRybolt, John C.M., Ph.D. (1985) "The Christmas Novena," Vincentian Heritage Journal: Vol. 6: Iss. 2, Article 6.Available at: http://via.library.depaul.edu/vhj/vol6/iss2/6

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The Christmas Novena

John E. Rybolt, eM.

The traditional Christmas Novena, celebrated in thechurches and chapels of the Vincentians and theDaughters of Charity, has come to mean "Christmas" forthe members of the two Communities and to the manyothers who mark these nine days of prayer with them.Even though the celebration of novenas has presentlyfallen somewhat out of favor, the Christmas Novenacontinues-updated, and in the vernacular, to be sure.

History and Development

Carlo Antonio Vacchetta (1665-1747), and ItalianVincentian living in Turin, has received the credit ofcomposing the novena, his work following on centuries oftradition. With greater lay involvement in the life of theChurch in the baroque period after the Reformation,popular piety expressed itself in numerous new devotions.Periods of prayer leading up to the festivals of saints werecommonly observed, often lasting three, six, or nine days.Shrines noted for special devotion to Our Lord and theBlessed Mother also commemorated feasts and seasonswith set days of prayer, often in the popular language.

A special novena in preparation for Christmas wasknown at Rome from 161 Ron. This devotion consisted inthe reading and singing of verses from the prophets,"Novena dei versetti." This format probably suggested toVacchetta the possibility of expanding the devotion along

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the lines of the official celebrations of matins and vespers.Vacchetta had a strong personal interest in theceremonies and music of the Church. He taught liturgyand chant to the student-priests in his charge; andcomposed novenas in honor of the Holy Spirit forPentecost and in preparation for the feast of theImmaculate Conception (patronal feast of the Vincentianchurch). For some reason, his printed biography,published in 1751, fails to mention the ChristmasNovena, for which he is currently best known.

The occasion for the Christmas Novena as we know itwas offered by Gabriella Marolles delle Lame, Marchesa ofCaluso, twice widowed and quite devout. She frequentedthe Vincentian church, had Vincentian spiritualdirectors, and assisted the Community financially.Despite the silence of his biography, other sources affirmthat Carlo Antonio Vacchetta, together with hisconfreres Giovanni Amosso and Sebastiano Valfre, set outto encourage the Marchesa's piety by composing, orpossibly revising, a novena in preparation for Christmas.Its first recorded appearance took place in 1720 at theVincentian church in Turin. The Marchesa must haveappreciated the novena, since at her death shebequeathed her fortune to the Vincentians, furtherstipulating that 5000 lire be set aside for its annualcelebration.

Since that time, the Christmas Novena has spreadthroughout It::ily, first through the Vincentians andDaughters of Charity, and later also through the Salesiansof Don Bosco. It has spread elsewhere in the world due tothe missionary work of the three Communities. AmericanVincentians are surprised to learn that, apart from theinfluence of their Italian confreres or the occasionalAmerican missionary, the novena is practically unknownoutside the United States.

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When the first Vincentians came to America in1816, they undoubtedly brought the Christmas Novenawith them. Notices of its celebration are scarce, but itpossibly made its appearance here as early as 1816 at theseminary in Saint Thomas. near Bardstown, where theconfreres spent their first American winter. If not then, itmust have begun shortly afterwards, in 1819 or 1820, atthe Barrens in Missouri since the early Italian confrerestook great pains to celebrate the liturgy with suitablemusic. Bishop Rosati in his notes all their 1816 oceancrossing remarks that even aboard ship, "on Sundays andfestivals, was sung in the Gregorian Chant, in two choirs. It

Felix De Andreis, the first American Superior,commented in a letter to Rosati on the care taken toobserve Holy Week in Saint Louis with proper music. Asteachers of ecclesiastical students, the pioneerVincentians likewise sought to provide suitable teachersfor the rites and music of the Church.

The music of the novena, apparently going back toVacchetta himself, was generally sung in unison, in onevoice. This continued until the 1920s when ProfessorMatthew P. Becker, a faculty member of KenrickSeminary in Saint Louis, prepared a four,part version formen's voices. The encouragement for this came, itappears, from his fellow faculty,member, Father Charles­Leon Souvay, C.M., an accomplished musician amIinterested in all things Vincentian. The Becker versionremained most commonly in use until the time ofliturgicalrenovation after the Second Vatican Council. A 1940revision by Clarence Corcoran, C.M., also of KenrickSeminary, was prepared for the publishing house of B.Herder in St. Louis; Corcoran added small corrections andother indications for performance. Another SaintLouisan, Martin B. Heltriegel, long a champion ofpopularliturgical piety, took the novena in hand and, probably in

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the 1930s,-with Souvay's help-prepareu an Englishversion. This was celebrated by the Sisters of the MostPrecious Blood, whose chaplain Hellriegel had been formany years. He also introduced it in his own parish, HolyCross. and later saw to its printing and wider distribution.

After the Council, several other versions appearedboth in Italy and in the United States, adapting thedistinctive parts of the novena to a more liturgical style.This revised novena was held in the vernacular, usuallyshortened musically, but lengtheneu with biblicalreadings.

Form of the Novena

Vacchetta modeled his own version loosely on matinsand vespers as celebrated in his day. It should be notedthat he rarely, if ever, quoted entirely from liturgicaltexts. Since his work was popular and unofficial, althoughsung in Latin, he probably chose to modify the officialtexts and to combine the structure of those two liturgicalhours. This conjecture is strengthened as one attempts toferret out all the sources for the Vacchetta text.

The traditional novena took the following form:1. Invitatory: Regem venturum Dominum, a verse

taken from matins of the Advent season. This wasrepeated after each of the following "prophecies. "

2. Prophecies: These are eight passages of varyinglength, skillfully composed from several sources, mainlyantiphons and the long responsories of matins. These inturn are based on biblical texts, often with some poeticelaboration. Structurally. the prophecies took the place ofthe invitatory psalw of matins.

3. Canticle: Laetentur Caeli, a pastiche of versestaken from the biblical books of Psalms and Isaiah. One

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verse, however, seems to be Vacchetta's owncomposition. This canticle takes the place of the fivepsalms normally recited at vespers. A close look at thiscomposition will show that it has neither development normovement; the repeated Veni sets a religious toneappropriate to the occasion.

4. Lesson: Praecursor pro nobis, loosely based onHebrews 6 and 7, and thus not a biblical reading in thestrict sense. This brief reading keeps its traditional placein the Office, following the psalmody.

5. Hymn: En clara vox, likewise a composite, comingpartly from the hymn of the same name proper to Adventlauds and from the hymn for Christmas lauds. Itsdoxology, in turn, comes from the doxology at Primeduring the year. In the liturgy of the hours before therecent revision, the hymn followed the scripture reading.

6. Antiphons for the Magnificat: arranged accordingto the day of the month. That for December 16 comes fromvespers of Monday of the second week in Advent; those forDecember 17,23 are the Major Antiphons, knownpopularly as the 0 Antiphons from their opening word.These have been, and continue to be, used as the regularantiphons for the Magnificat at vespers for those days. Onthe final day, December 24, Vacchetta chose thecorresponding antiphon from vespers of Christmas eve.

7. Magnificat: This text follows the standard NewTestament canticle (Luke 1:46,55) as given in theliturgical books, as well as its normal place in the liturgy.

8. Collect and Dismissal: The prayer does not appearamong the approved collects for the season. It bears someresemblance to psalm verses, and is probably Vacchetta'sown work. It has been customary, at least in the UnitedStates, for Benedictipn of the Blessed Sacrament toconclude the novena.

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Text and Sources

The traditional text is given, followed by itssources-either biblical, or more usually liturgical. TheEnglish transbtion comes from the version of David E.

Windsor and Rory P. Cooney, published in Perryville,Missouri, about 1969.

INVlTATORY

Regem venturum Dominum,venite, adoremus",[Invitatory from Advent Matins]

PROPHECIES

1. Jucundare filia Sion, etexulta satisfilia Jerusalem;[Antiphon Z, Lauds, First Sunday inAdvent)

ecce Dominus veniet et eritin die illa lux magna;[Responsory, first nocturne ofMatins, Second Sunday in Advent;also Antiphon J, Lauds, FirstSunday in Advent)

et stillabunt montesdulcedinem, et colles fluent lacet mel;[Responsory 3. Matins of Monchy inAdvent; also Antiphon 1, Lauds,First Sunday in Advent)

quia veniet Propheta

magnus, et ipse renovabitJerusalem;[Antiphon 5, Lauds, First SunJay inAdvent)

2. Ecce veniet Dominus, ethomo de domo David sefjere inthrono;IAntiphon at Benedictus, Lauds,First Friday in Advent)

Soon comes our Lord andKing, Let us all adore Him.

Rejoice, 0 Daughter ofSian and be happy, daughter ofJerusa[em. Because the Lord,your [over, comes, and on thatday a light will shine fromheaven, and the mountainsshan be bathed in brightness;and the hills will flow with milkand honey, because a greatteacher is coming, and his newlaw will make your city youngagain.

Hear, my people, God willcome as a man to rule from thethrone of David. And when you

et videbitis et gaudebit corvestrum;[Lesson 3, Fourth Friday in Advent)

3. Ecce veniet Dominus,protector noster, SanctusIsrael, coronam regni habens in

capite suo, et dominabitur amari usque ad mare, et aflumineul>lJue ad terminos orbisterrarum.[Responsory 4, Matins, SecondSunday in Advent]

4. Ecce apparebitDominus, et non mentietur; simoram fecerit expecta eum,quia veniet, et non tardabit.[Antiphon 3, Lauds, Second

Sunday in Advent)

5. Descendet Dominussicut pluvia in vellus; orietur indiehu,f eju.f justitia et

abundantia pacis, et adorabunteum omnes reges terrae, omnesgentes servient ei.

[Responsory 6, Matins, Third Weekin Advent)

6. Nascetur nobis parvuluset vocabitur Deus fortis; ipsesedebit super thronum Davidpatris sui et imperabit, cujuspotestas super humerum ejus.[Responsory 4, Matins, Fourth

Week in Advent)

7. Bethlehem, civitas Deisummi, ex te exiet DominatorIsrael, et egressus ejus sicut aprincipio dierum aeternitatiJ', etmagnijicabitur in mediouniversae terrae, et pax erit in

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see him, yom heart will shine

and dance its joyful praises.

Hear me, Sian, the Lordour fortress comes, the HolyOnc of Israel. And He will wear

the jeweled crown upon Hishead. And His kingdom shallexrend from sea to sea, and fromthe Jordan to the farthestcorners of the earth.

Be glad for the Lord willappear, and your Lord cannotdeceive; if it should seem thathe is late, then wait for Him. ForHe shall come when He is surethat you are ready.

As a rainfall from theclouds, the maker shall comedown from heaven, and there

shall grow from the fields of Hisrule, justice and God's holypeace. And kings from every

land shall adore Him, all peoplewill be glad to be His Nation.

Then shall a child be bornfor us, so weak-yet called theGod of strength, to ruleJerusalem from the lost throneof his father David, the king ofall kings whose right hand is thesource of every power andstrength.

Bethlehem! City of theMost High, from your midstshall come the ruler of all Israel,and this coming will be said tobe like nothing since the

foundation of the universe, and

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terra nostra dum venerit.[Responsory 2, Matins, Third Week

in Advent)

8. Crastina die delebituriniquitas terrae, et regnabitsuper nos Salvator mundi[Antiphon 3, Lauds, Vigil of

Christmas)

Response:

Propp pst jam Dominus,venite, adoremus.[Invitatory, Third and FourthWeeks in Advent]

CANTICLE

all creation will sing out hispraises, and the [ong awaitedpeace will settle on the earth,when the creator shall

triumphant come.

Tomorrow all evil on earthwill be destroyed by Him, andover us all reign the one whocomes to save the whole world.

This night Our Lord will

come, hasten to adore him.

Laetentur coe/i, etterra (Ps 95:11),mUflle~', laudem (lsa

I.exultetjubilate,49: 13)[Responsory 2, Matins,Monday In Advent]

First

Be happy, skies, and laugh,o land, and join Out praise ofGod, 0 you mountains.

2. Erumpant montesJucunditatem, et colles justitiam[Responsory 2, Matins, First

Tuesday in Advent)

3. Quia Dominus nosterveniet, et pauperum suorummiserebitur (lsa 49: 13)[Responsory 1, Matins, First

Monday in Advent)

4. Rorate, cae/i, desuperetnubes pluant justum. aperiaturterra, et germinet Salvgtorem(lsa 45:8)[Responsory I, M~tins, First

Tuesday in Advent]

Break open, hillsides, inyour happiness, and echo talesof Yahweh's mercy.

For we know now that hecomes at last, to his poor peoplehe shows his kindness.

Drop down dew, 0 clouds,"nd rain the great anointed one

of God, let the earth break openand bud forth the Savior.

5. Memento nostri,Domine, et visita nos in salutarituo (Ps 105;4)[Versicle and response, Sexr, ThirdSunday in Adventl

6. Ostende nobis, Domine,misericordiam tuam, et salutaretuum da nobis. (Ps 84;8)[Response, Sext, Third Sunday inAdvent]

7. Emitte Agnum, Domine,dominatorem terrae; de petrade~'erti ad mantem filiae Sian(Isa 16; 1)[Antiphon 2, Lauds, Tuesday beforeChristmas]

8. Veni ad liberandum nn<,

Domine, Deus virtutum, ostendefaciem tuam, et salvi erimus (Ps79:4b)[Response, Terce, Second Sundayin Advent)

9. Veni, Domine, vlsttarenos in pace, ut laetemur coramte, corde perfecto[Probably written by author; has noapparent biblical or liturgicalconnectionsl

10, Ut cognoscamus,Domine, in terra viam tuam, inomnibus gentibus salutare tuum(Ps 66;3)[Antiphon 3, Lauds, Tuesday beforeChristmas]

11. Excita, Domine,potentiam tuam, et veni, ut

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Remember that we sin. 0Lord, and come to us in yoursaving action.

Let all mankind know themercy of your ways, andmanifest to all your savinggrace.

Send forth, 0 lord, yourLamb, the King of all the earth,(wm P~lra uf rhe deserr ro thedaughter of Sian's mountain.

Come down and free us,Lord God of everlastingstrength, show only your face,and all our earthly bonds willshatter like glass.

Come down. 0 Lord. andlet your peace rema,in wirh us;that in your presence our heartsmight some day laugh again.

Would that we could knowyour ways on earth, 0 Lord,then every land would know theLove that you alone know.

Arouse your might, 0Lord, and come; free us now as

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salvos facias nos (Ps 79:3)[Responsory 7, Marins, ThirdSunday in Advent]

12. Veni, Domine, et nolitardare[R"spons", NOIl", First W""k inAdvent]

relaxa facinora plebi tuae[Responsory 7, Matins, ThirdSunday in Advent]

J3. Utinam dirumperescoelos et descenderes, a facietua montes defluerent (Isa 64: 1)[Opening senrence, lesson 1,Matins, Fourth Tuesday in Advent]

14. Veni, et ostende nobisfaciem tuam, Domine, qui sedessuper Cherubim (Ps 79:4 and 2)[Brief Response, Terce, Fridays inAdvenr]

LESSON

Praecutsor pro nobisingreditur, (Hbr 6:20) agnussine macula, (Exod 12:5)

secundum ordinemMelchisedech, pontifexfactus inaeternum (Hbr 6:20) et insaeculum saeculi. (Hbr 1:8)1pse est Rex justitiae, (Hbr 7:2)cujus generatio (Hbr 7:6) nonhabetfinem. (Hbr 7:3?)

HYMN

once you led us from Babylon.

Hurry Lord, for we will dieif you delay; release your peoplefrom the crimes which wecommit before your eyes.

if only the thunder woutdrend the clouds, and you comedown to us; at your glance themountains would melt away.

Come and look upon uswith your loving eyes, 0 Lord,you who rule creation from theranks of heavenly choirs.

The spotless Lamb hascome into the world for us, asthe vanguard of a new age, ahigh priest forever asMelchisedech ordained. He isthe just king of eternity, and thechildren He begets will neverdie.

(Note on the sources: the fiest two verses are verses 1and 3 of the hymn of thesame name, proper to Advent lauds; and verses 3,4, and 5 come from the hymn forChristmas lauds. "A solis ortu cardine." The doxology, in turn, comes from thedoxology at Prime during the year.)

1. En clara vox redarguit,

obscura quaeque personans;procul fugentur somnia, ab altoJesus promicat.

2. En Agnus ad nosmittitur, laxare gratis debitum;omnes simul cum lacrymis,precemur indulgentiam.

3. Beatus auctor saeculi,servile corpus induit; ut carnecarnem liberans, ne perderetquos condidit.

4. Castae parentis viscera,caelestis intrat gratia; venterpuellae bajulat, secreta quaenon noverat.

5. Domus pudici pectoris,

templum repentefit Dei; intactanesciens virum, concepit alvoftllum.

6. Deo Patri sit gloria,ejusque soli filio, cum SpirituParae/ito, in saeculorumsaecula. Amen.

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A shout at dawn awakens

man, and drives away the spellof night; behold, dreams fleebefore the dawn, as Jesus comes

down from his throne.

A lamb in sacrifice is sent,to make return for all our sins.With tears together let us pray,th:'lt ffif"tCy ri<es with the day.

Eternal One who fashionedtime, you took our form inMary's womb. So those whomyou had made might be. throughhuman flesh by God set free.

The Spirit came into thewomb, of that young virgin ather word. And in that humblestable birth, she bore the masterof the earth.

Within the temple of her

breast, the word of God tookhuman form. Inside of herunknown ro man, rhe life ofJesus Christ began.

Sholit praises to the Fatherblest, and to His Son, of whomwe sing; and to the Holy Ghostwe send the praise of ageswithout end. Amen.

It is regrettable that very little study has taken placeon this interesting and treasured part ofYincentian life, Aclose look at some manuscript sources might help to clarifyfurther the origins' and intention of the ChristmasNovena, Further information about the novena would begratefully accepted by the present author.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

Sources:

Cojazzi, A. "Novena di Natale," (articles appearing in L'Osservatore Romano,December 14-27,1941).

Loew, Giuseppe. "Triduo," in Enciclopedia Cattolica, XII, cols. 516-519.

Palladini, A. "De origine praeparationis ad nativitatem D.N.I.C. yualll 'AProphetiis' vocant," Ephemerides Liturgicae (Ius et Praxis) 51 (Jan-Feb.1937),23-25.

Tamagnone, Giuseppe. "Novendiales Preces Ane Nativitatem D.N.J.e. Quas'Aprophetiis' Vocant," Marieti, Turin, 1958. [History and music selectionsarranged in GreJ:(orian and modern notation.]

Tempia, Felice. Breve ragguaglio della vita del signor Carlo Antonio Vacchetta.Turin, 1751. [Contains portrait ofVacchetta as frontispiece]

Editions ofthe Novena:

Born, Agustin. "Novena Liturgica de Navidad." Buenos Aires/Montevideo, 1957,3rd ed. [No history given, but Salesians are mentioned]

"The Christmas Novena," translation: Rory P. Cooney, C. M.; music arrangement:David E. Windsor, e.M. Perryville, Missouri: Saint Mary's Seminary, n.d.[about 1969]

"La Novena del S. Natale a cura dei PP. Benedittini di Subiaco," Ed. Paoline, 1967,26pp.

"Maranatha. Preparation for Christmas," O'Fallon, Missouri, Sisters of the MostPrecious Blood, 1980, 23 pp. [Revised format, based on work of Martin B.HellrieJ:(el; English translations by Charles L. Souvay, C.M.]

"Maranatha Jesu! Novena in Preparation for the Birthday of Our Lord Jesus Christ."Saint Louis: Pio Decimo Press, 1932. [Edited by Martin B. Hellriegel;English translations by Charles L. Souvay, e.M.]

Mazarello, S. "La Novena di Natale." Rome: 1982, 30 pp. [Traditional texts andmusic, with readings and responses in liturgical style]

"Novena del Ssmo. Natale, ... Melodia gregoriana che si canta nel SeminarioArctvescovtle di Genova." Tunn: 1940, 16 pp. [Melodies differ fromtraditional text in usage!

"Novena del Santo Natale.... " Turin; 1938, 26 pp. [Salesian editiun, withGregorian notation, traditional melodies and texts]

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"Novena del Santo Natale.... " Turin: n.d., 23 pp. [Revised format, with Psalmody,lessons, prayer of the faithful.]

"Novena for the Feast of the Nativity of Our Lord jesus Christ." Saint Louis: B.Herder, 6th ed., 1925; 10th ed., 1934; 1949. (Other imprint: New Orleans,St. Stephen's Church, n. d.)

"Novena in preparation for Christmas." St. LouIs, MO: 1964 [Publtshed byFranciscan Fathers, Provincial Offices)

"Novena in Preparaliun fur lhe Feasl uf lhe Nalivily UfOUl Lord Jesus Christ." Saintjoseph Missouri: 1935. [Based on the Becker version. Scores for antiphonsadded.]

"Novena per iI S. Natale." Milan: 1948, 16 pp. [Standard text, in Latin and Italian]

Perrot, Jane Marie, D.C. "A Biblical-Liturgical Novena for the Feast of the Nativityof Our Lord jesus Christ." Boston: McLaughlin and Reilly, 1966. [Englishversion.)

"Praeparatio ad Nativitatem.... ad usum ecclesiasticorum in choro psallentium."39 pp, 1980 (I) [no place, no publisher, no date given]

"Veglie di preghiera. Novena in preparazione del Natale." Vicenza: 1965,64 pp.(Also exists in brief textforfaithful, 1965, 15 pp.)

We cannot have peace with God, with our neighbor, andwith ourselves unless Jesus Christ grant it to us.

St. Louise de Marillac

God governs all things with wisdom and love, anddemands of us an entire and loving resignation to I lisguidance. It is indeed the great secret ofthe spiritual life toabandon to Him all that we love by abandoning ourselveswholly to His Will. He never destroys His work, but Heperfects it.

St. Vincent de Paul