The Annunication, Meister der Braunschweig-Magdeburger Schule; circa 1275

IN ADVENT, “God knocks at the door of all men’s hearts,” Dom Prosper Guéranger wrote. Advent is the season of expectation. The world awaits. “Conditor alme siderum,” or “Creator of the Stars of Night,” is a plainchant from a seventh-century text used in Advent Vespers that captures some of that solemn anticipation. Listen to two excellent renditions of the chant here and here. I prefer the first. The English translation is below.

Creator of the Stars of Night

Creator of the stars of night,
Thy people’s everlasting light,
Jesu, Redeemer, save us all,
and hear Thy servants when they call.

Thou, grieving that the ancient curse
should doom to death a universe,
hast found the medicine, full of grace,
to save and heal a ruined race.

Thou camest, the Bridegroom of the Bride,
as drew the world to evening tide,
proceeding from a virgin shrine,
the spotless Victim all divine.

At whose dread Name, majestic now,
all knees must bend, all hearts must bow;
and things celestial Thee shall own,
and things terrestrial Lord alone.

O Thou whose coming is with dread,
to judge and doom the quick and dead,
preserve us, while we dwell below,
from every insult of the foe.

To God the Father, God the Son,
and God the Spirit, Three in One,
laud, honor, might, and glory be
from age to age eternally.
Amen.

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