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Rorate Caeli

Dr Shelagh Noden suggests we pay more attention to Advent

DVENT IS largely ignored in the run- to God for the gift of Our Lady. As the Mass
A Aup to the festive season, yet it has its own proceeds and sunrise approaches, the church
traditions, which deserve to be more widely becomes progressively brighter, illumined by the
known. In fact, one of the most beautiful and sun as our faith is illumined by Christ.”
evocative traditions of the Church is associated The Rorate Mass is richly symbolic.
with Advent; it is the Rorate Mass.
An American commentator has
A Rorate Mass is defined as a described it as “the supreme example
Votive Mass of Our Lady, said during of the Advent season”. He goes on,
Advent, often, but not necessarily, on “since the Mass is normally celebrated
a Saturday. The custom originated right before dawn, the warm rays of
in the Middle Ages, when many new the winter sun slowly light up the
Marian devotions were becoming church. If timed correctly, by the
popular. The name is derived from end of Mass the entire church is filled
the first two words of the Introit for with light by the sun. This speaks of
the Mass: Rorate Caeli desuper et nubes the general theme of Advent, a time
pluant justum. This can be translated of expectation eagerly awaiting the
as Drop down, ye heavens, from arrival of the Son of God, the Light of
above, and let the clouds pour down the World” .
righteousness. In the pagan world December 25

The text, taken from the prophet was known as the Dies Natalis Solis
Isaiah, chapter 45, verse 8, is widely used during Invicti, Birthday of the Unconquered Sun. This,
Advent, occurring daily as the response and short of course, reflects the shortening of the hours
verse at Vespers, and at other times during the of daylight which occurs in winter and the
Advent Divine Office. It is also the Introit for expectation of the return of the sun after the
the fourth Sunday in Advent. In the seventeenth shortest day of the year, 21st December. In
century, Rorate Caeli was arranged into a hymn the early Church this feast was taken over as
which used the traditional text as a refrain. the birthday of Jesus, who himself was often
depicted as Sol Invictus, the Unconquered Sun.
The verses were drawn from other scriptural
passages used in the liturgy for Advent. The Saint Augustine referred to this symbolism in
earliest known version of this hymn is in the a sermon: “Let us celebrate this day as a feast
Oratorian Officia Propria of 1673. Translated not for the sake of this sun, which is beheld by
into English, it is known as the Advent Prose, and unbelievers as much as by ourselves, but for the
first appeared in the English Hymnal of 1906, sake of him who created the sun.”
becoming very popular with High Anglican A booklet of the music for a Rorate Mass has
church choirs. Many composers have been been produced by Corpus Christi Watershed and
attracted by this text over the years, including is available for free download: PDF Download
Palestrina, William Byrd, Heinrich Schütz, - www.bit.ly/Rorate The chants used are
and, more recently, Judith Weir. Here is a link incredibly beautiful, but, where they are found
to a very haunting rendering of the Rorate Caeli rather too challenging, simpler alternatives are
plainchant - www.bit.ly/os-rorate available. Many performances of the Advent
Prose, Rorate Caeli, can be found on YouTube.
A Rorate Mass starts before dawn with the
church illuminated only by candles. Because Often, the Mass ends with the well-known
the Mass is said in honour of Our Lady, white Advent plainchant, Veni Emmanuel, which can be
vestments are worn instead of the violet more sung in English as O come, O come, Emmanuel.
usual in Advent. According to the Priestly Being present at a Rorate Mass usually means
Fraternity of St Peter, “In the dimly lit setting, getting up early on what will most probably
priests and faithful prepare to honour the Light of be a cold and definitely dark morning, but it is
the world, who is soon to be born, and offer praise something well worth being present at.