The Christmas Novena

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Vincentian Heritage Journal

Volume 6 | Issue 2 Article 6

10-1-1985

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

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Recommended CitationRybolt, John C.M., Ph.D. (1985) "Te Christmas Novena," Vincentian Heritage Journal: Vol. 6: Iss. 2, Article 6.Available at: hp://via.library.depaul.edu/vhj/vol6/iss2/6
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h hristmas ovena ohn Rybolt e

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 DevelopmentCarlo Antonio Vacchetta 1665-1747), and Italian

Vincentian 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 preparat ion for Christmas wasknown at Rome from 6 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 biographypublished in 1751 fails to mention the ChristmasNovena, for which he s currently best known.

The occasion for the ChristmasNovena s 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 rec orded 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 ofCharity, and later also through the Salesiansof Don Bosco. It has spread elsewhere in the world due tothe missionary work ofthe three Communities. AmericanVincentians are surprised to learn that, apart from theinfluence of their Italian confreres or the occasionalAmerican missionary the novena s 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 choirsFelix De Andreis the first American Superiorcommented 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 Charles-Leon 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 BHerder 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 NovenaVacchetta modeled his own version loosely on matins

and vespers s 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 s strengthened s one attempts toferret out all the sources for the Vacchetta text.

The traditional novena took the following form:1. Invitatory: Regem venturum Dominum a versetaken 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 aeli 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. 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 th e psalmody.

5. Hymn: n 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 ofthe month. That for December comes fromvespers of Monda of the second week in Advent; those forDecember 17,23 are the Major Antiphons knownpopularly as the 0 Antiphons from their opening word.T he se h av e b ee n and continue to be, used as the regularantiphons for the Magnificat at vespers for those days. O nthe 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. bears someresemblance to psalm verses, and is probably Vacchetta sown work. has been customary, at least in the UnitedStates for Benedictipn of the Blessed Sacrament toconclude the novena.


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Text and SourcesThe traditional text is given followed by its

sources either biblical or more usually liturgical. TheEnglish transbtion comes from the version of David E.Windsor and Rory P. Cooney published in PerryvilleMissouri about 1969.INVlTATORYRegem venturum Dominumvenite adoremus[Invitatory from Advent Matins]

PROPHECIES1. Jucundare filia Sion etexulta satisfilia Jerusalem;

[Antiphon Z Lauds First Sunday inAdventecce 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 ofMonchy inAdvent; also Antiphon LaudsFirst Sunday in Advent

quia veniet rophetamagnus et ipse renovabitJerusalem;[Antiphon 5 Lauds First SunJay inAdvent

2. Ecce venietDominus ethomo domo David sefjere inthrono;IAntiphon at Benedictus LaudsFirst Friday in Advent

Soon comes our Lord andKing et us all adore Him.

Rejoice 0 Daughter ofSian and be happy daughter ofJerusa[em. Because the Lordyour [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


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

3. Ecce veniet Dominusprotector noster SanctusIsrael coronam regni habens incapite suo et dominabitur amari usque ad mare et aflumineul l ue ad terminos orbisterrarum.[Responsory 4, Matins, SecondSunday in Advent]

4. Ecce apparebitDominus et non mentietur; simoram fecerit expecta eumquia veniet et non tardabit.[Antiphon 3, Lauds, SecondSunday in Advent)

5. Descendet Dominussicut pluvia in vellus; orietur indiehu f eju f justi t ia etabundantia 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, FourthWeek 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 y om h ea rt will shineand dance its joyful praises.

Hear me, Sian, the Lordour fortress comes, the HolyOnc of Israel. And He will wearthe jeweled crown upon Hishead. And His kingdom shallexrend from sea to sea, and fromthe Jordan to the farthestcorners of the earth.

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

As a rainfall from theclouds, the maker shall comedown from heaven and thereshall grow from the fields ofHisrule, justice and God s holypeace. And kings from everyland 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 thefoundation of the universe, and


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terra nostra dum venerit[Responsory 2, Matins, Third Weekin Advent)

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

Response:r pp pst jam Dominus

venite adoremus[Invitatory, Third and FourthWeeks in Advent ]

CANTICLE

all creation will sing out hispraises, and the [ong awaitedpeace will se tt le on the earthwhen the creator shalltriumphant come.

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

This n igh t Our Lord willcome, hasten to adore him.

Laetentur coe/i etterra Ps 95:11),

m U f l l e ~ laudem lsa

exultetjubilate49: 13)[Responsory 2 Matins,Monday Advent]

First

Be happy, skies, and laugh,o land, and join Out praise ofGod 0 you mo un tai ns .

2 Erumpant montesJucunditatem et colles justitiam[Responsory 2, Matins, FirstTuesday in Advent)

3 Quia Dominus nosterveniet et pauperum suorummiserebitur lsa 49: 13)[Responsory Matins, FirstMonday in Advent)

4 Rorate cae/i desuperetnubes pluant justum aperiaturterra et germinet Salvgtorem lsa 45:8)[Responsory I, ~ t i n s FirstTuesday 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 oneof G od , let the earth break openand bud forth the Savior.


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5 Memento nostriDomine et visita nos in salutarituo Ps 105;4[Versicle and response, Sexr, ThirdSunday in Adventl

6 Ostende nobis Dominemisericordiam tuam et salutaretuum da nobis Ps 8 ;8[Response, Sext, Third Sunday inAdvent]

Emitte Agnum Dominedominatorem terrae; de petra

d e ~ e r t i ad mantem filiae SianIsa 16;1[Antiphon Lauds Tuesday beforeChristmas]

Veniad liberandum nn


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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]

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

14 Veni ostende nobisfaciem tuam Domine qui sedessuper Cherubim Ps 79:4 and 2[Brief Response, Terce, Fridays inAdvenr]L SSON

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?)

YMN

once you led us from Babylon.

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

only th e 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 come from the hymn forChristmas lauds. A solis ortu cardine. The doxology, in turn, comes from thedoxology at Prime during the year.)


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1 En clara vox redargui tobscura quaeque personans;procul fugentur somnia ab altoJesus promicat

2 En Agnus ad nosmittitur laxare gratis debitum;omnes simul cum lacrymisprecemur indulgentiam

3 Beatus auctor saeculiservile corpus induit; ut carnecarnem liberans ne perderetquos condidit

4 Castae parentis visceracaelestis intrat gratia; venterpuellae bajulat secreta quaenon noverat

5 Domus pudici pectoristemplum repentefit Dei; intactanesciens virum concepit alvoftllum

6 Deo Patri sit gloriaejusque soli filio cum SpirituParae/ito saeculorumsaecula Amen

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A sh out a t dawn awakensman, and drives away the spellof night; behold, dreams fleebefore the dawn as Jesus comesdown 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


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I LIOGR PHYSources: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 A

Prophetiis' vocant, Ephemerides Liturgicae (Ius et Praxis) 5 (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 the 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]

LaNovena 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 BHellrieJ:(el; English translations by Charles Souvay, C.M.]

Maranatha Jesu Novena in Preparation for the BirthdayofOurLordJesusChrist.Saint Louis: Pio Decimo Press, 1932. [Edited by Martin B Hellriegel;English translations by Charles 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, 6 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: BHerder, 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 S. Natale. Milan: 1948, 6pp. [Standard text, in Latin and Italian]Perrot, Jane Marie, D.C. A Biblical-LiturgicalNovena for the Feast of the Nativity

of 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, 5pp.)

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

St. Louise de Marillac

od governs all things with wisdom and love anddemands us an entire and loving resignation to I lisguidance s indeed the great secretofthe 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

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