SONG: O Come, O Come Emmanuel
Before entering the world of Christmas carols and hymns, it might be worth remembering that carols (or коляди) were written for the feast of the Nativity itself and that this celebration only BEGINS on the day of our Saviour’s birth - i.e. Jan. 7th or Dec. 25th and continues for the following 12 days until the feast of Theophany (at which point, in some Ukrainian traditions, we continue commemorating until the Meeting of the Lord (Стрітення) on Feb. 15th.). Thus it can be understood that neither carols nor коляди are to be sung until the feast itself (just as we do not sing or perform Paschal hymns during Great Lent), which can be a shock to most as it is so often music that helps us feel the “Christmas spirit!” (But more on this later as to how to deal with this).
*Author’s Note: One way our family has addressed this is by singing said carols as a rehearsal rather than in full-performance spirit, and try to keep the joyous festal songs for Dec. 25th itself, like “O Come All Ye Faithful” and “Joy to the World.”
So allow us to introduce you to an often forgotten Advent hymn, a hymn that, in fact, seems to predate the Great Schism of the Church by as much as almost 200 years! O Come, O Come Emmanuel (Veni, veni Emmanuel) is the Antiphons from the matins of the forefeast of Nativity, sung just before the Magnificat (Величання). Its current melody, however, is believed to come from 15th century France.
So when looking for a peaceful melody to hum this week, consider O Come, O Come Emmanuel!
Listen to it online:
Lyrics
Hymns Ancient and Modern (1861) - a Ukrainian translation here (but not perfect)
O come, O come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel;
That mourns in lonely exile here,
Until the Son of God appear.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.
O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free
Thine own from Satan's tyranny;
From depths of hell Thy people save,
And give them victory o'er the grave.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.
O come, Thou Day-Spring, come and cheer,
Our Spirits by Thine Advent here;
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night,
And death's dark shadows put to flight.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.
O come, Thou Key of David, come
And open wide our heavenly home;
Make safe the way that leads on high,
And close the path to misery.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.
O come, O come, thou Lord of Might
Who to Thy tribes, on Sinai's height,
In ancient times didst give the law,
In cloud, and majesty, and awe.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.
Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/O_Come,_O_Come,_Emmanuel