Midnight Mass of the Nativity

Is 9:1-7; Titus 2:11-14; Lk 2:1-14 To you is born this day… a saviour, who is the Messiah, the Lord 

Carols before the mass (starting 11.30 pm): Once in Royal David’s City; O Radiant Dawn (MacMillan); Ding Dong Merrily on High; A Great and Mighty Wonder; The First Nowell; Hark the Herald Angels Sing

• Mass setting: Messe de Minuit (Charpentier)
• Introit: (Gregorian) Dominus dixit ad me, Filius meus es tu, ego hodie genui te. The lord said to me, You are my Son, this day I have begotten you
• Motet: Salve Puerule* (Charpentier)
• Communio: (Gregorian, Ps 109) In splendoribus sanctorum, ex utero ante luciferum genui te. Amidst the splendours of the heavenly sanctuary, from the womb, before the morning star, I have begotten you
• Hymns: It came upon the midnight clear; Silent night; O come all ye faithful
• Organ Offertorium: All my heart this night rejoices – Johann Walther (1684-1748)
• Organ Voluntary: Cantique de Noël – Adolphe Adam (1803-1856)

Organist: Bransby Byrne

*Salve puerule, salve tenellule,
o nate parvule quam bonus es.
Tu coelum deseris, tu mundo nasceris,
nobis te’ut miseris assimiles.

O summa bonitas! Excelsa deitas
Vilis humanitas fit hodie.
Aeternus nascitur, immensus capitur
et rei tegitur sub specie.

Virgo puerpera, beata viscera
Dei cum opera dent filium.
Gaude, flos virginum, gaude, spes hominum,
fons lavans criminum proluvium.

Hail, little child, hail, tender babe, O tiny child, how good you are.
You leave heaven and are are born in the world, making yourself like us poor wretches.

O highest goodness, lofty Godhead that today becomes poor humanity
The Eternal is born, the boundless circumscribed, and hid in worldly garb.

Virgin mother, your blessed womb, through God gives birth to a son.
Rejoice, flower of virgins, rejoice, hope of mankind, spring which washes away the stain of sins.