Advent 25 – 25 December 2021
Merry Christmas!
It is the day of celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. And it is the final day of this year’s Advent Calendar. The theme has been St Andrews, reflecting that so much of the past couple of years have been spent by us at home. St Andrews is the home of the University, and of the Chaplaincy, and has been my home for ten years too. And so today some final celebrations from St Andrews.
We held three lovely services of Carols by Candlelight yesterday in St Salvator’s Chapel. Here is some of that candlelight, illuminating Bishop Kennedy’s tomb:
And in the chapel is a beautiful depiction of the nativity, shepherds and a lamb joining Joseph, Mary, and the child in a manger. It is a mosaic designed by Douglas Strachan, set behind the communion table. Strachan was born in Aberdeen in 1875, and studied at Gray’s School of Art in Aberdeen, and the Royal Scottish Academy. Principally a stained glass artist, he also worked in other media.
Our final poem of this season is by William Dunbar, whom we encountered on 8 and 17 December. He was born in 1460, the year in which Kennedy’s tomb was put into the brand new St Salvator’s Chapel, and graduated in 1479. This poem intersperses Latin with (a modernised) English. The opening line – Rorate coeli desuper – means Let the dew of the heaven fall from above. And the closing line of each stanza is a variation of Et nobis Puer natus est, meaning And for us a child is born. The poem portrays the whole of creation joining in celebration of Jesus’ birth.
Of the Nativitie of Christ
Rorate coeli desuper!
Heavens, let loose your balmy showers!
For now is risen the bright day-star,
Fro the rose Mary, flower of flowers:
The clear Son, whom no cloud devours,
Surpassing Phebus in the East,
Is coming from his heavenly tower:
Et nobis Puer natus est.
Archangels, angels, and dominations,
Thrones, potentates, and martyrs various,
And all ye heavenly operations,
Star, planet, firmament, and sphere,
Fire, earth, air, and water clear,
To Him give loving, most and least,
That come in to so meek manner;
Et nobis Puer natus est.
Sinners be glad, and penance do,
And thank your Maker heartily;
For he that ye might not come to
To you is coming full humbly
Your souls with his blood to buy
And free you of the fiends arrest–
And only of his own mercy;
Pro nobis Puer natus est.
All clergy do to him incline,
And bow unto that babe benign,
And do your observance divine
To him that is of kings King:
Incense his altar, read and sing
In holy church, with mind digest,
Him honouring above all thing
Qui nobis Puer natus est.
Celestial fouls in the air,
Sing with your notes upon hight,
In firths and in forests fair
Be mirthful now with all your might;
For passed is your dismal night,
Aurora has the clouds pierced,
The Son is risen with gladsome light,
Et nobis Puer natus est.
Now spring up flours from the root,
Revert you upward naturally,
In honour of the blessed fruit
That rose up from the rose Mary;
Lay out your leaves lustily,
From dead take life now at the least
In worship of that Prince worthy
Qui nobis Puer natus est.
Sing, heaven imperial, most of high!
Regions of air make harmony!
All fish in fluid and fowl of flight
Be mirthful and make melody!
All Gloria in excelsis cry!
Heaven, earth, sea, man, bird, and beast,–
He that is crowned above the sky
Pro nobis Puer natus est!
And our final musical celebration is our own St Salvator’s Chapel Choir, scattered but joined in harmony, singing the Hallelujah Chorus from Handel’s Messiah with Bede Williams on trumpets, and directed by Claire Innes-Hopkins. See and hear this wonder of musical talent and technology here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jd9OG2NWMkg
There are no University services today! But if you want to celebrate St Stephen’s Day tomorrow (Sunday 26 December) I will be will be taking the service at St Margaret’s Church of Scotland in Glenrothes. If you would like to come, the service is at 10 am. Or you can take part online: here is a link to the service via Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87172043700?pwd=QXd5c0E3YVV6S3Yrb0lCWHQ0d3JrZz09
Meeting ID: 871 7204 3700
Passcode: 090012
Or you can watch later on youtube at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCklCF0L1Y6kjAdpq4ePGsRg
I hope you’ve enjoyed this Advent Calendar journey which has stretched deep in time and talent, but strayed no further than this extraordinary town and university of St Andrews. It’s been a huge pleasure to discover and share art and music, photography and memoir, poetry and theology with you. Whether you are at home or elsewhere for Christmas, whatever your faith or philosophy of life, I hope that dew of heaven falls from above on you, those whom you love, and our beautiful, precious world.
Merry Christmas, and a happy new year.
Yours,
Donald.