![]() ![]() Our Lord and king is drawing near O come let us adore him! ![]() Let the earth be opened and bud forth the Savior. Drop down dew from above, you heavens, and let the clouds rain the just one. (Sung to the melody of "Creator of the Starry Skies") ![]() If the novena is led by a priest, the Blessed Sacrament is exposed. His Christmas novena will inspire people for ages to come. Father Vachetta left us the heritage of a lovely Advent tradition and his work continues to prepare hearts for the coming of Christ through the prophecies, psalms and Gospels. The Christmas novena, as it is now known, begins on December 16, nine days before Christmas, and ends on Christmas Eve. Then, taking some of Scripture's lesser known prophecies, he composed a canticle, or prayer- song of incomparable beauty called "Let the Heavens Be Glad." The canticle is sung after the seven major prophecies and makes a fitting antiphon for the Scripture readings of the day. Using the Latin Vulgate, he wove the novena from the psalms and prophecies of the Old Testament which foretold the coming of the Messiah and crowned his masterpiece by retelling the birth of John the Baptist. So Father Vachetta began to write his nine-day prayer, to stir the hearts of his parishioners to eagerly await the coming of Christ.įather Vachetta was a poet and scholar, steeped in Biblical theology. Father Vachetta decided to give them the gift of a novena-a prayer going deep into the spirit of Advent, leaving one inspired with inexpressible joy. He wanted them to understand the intertwining of the Old and New Testaments so they could see for themselves the love of God unfold from the beginning of time and for all eternity. Father Charles Vachetta, pastor of the Church of the Immaculate in Turin, Italy, wanted to give his parishioners something special for the Advent of 1721. ![]()
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