From the hinge of the sun's rising even to the limit of the earth, let us sing of Christ the Prince, born of the Virgin Mary. The blessed Author of the world put on a servant's body, that, freeing flesh by flesh, He might not lose those whom He had made. The grace of heaven enters the chaste mother's womb; the maiden's belly bears secrets which it had not known. The dwelling of the modest breast suddenly becomes a temple of God; untouched, knowing no man, by the Word she created a son. The childbearing woman brought forth Him whom Gabriel had foretold, whom, exulting in his mother's womb, the enclosed John had perceived. He endured to lie on hay, He did not shrink from the manger, and was fed with a little milk, He through whom not even the bird hungers. The choir of the heavenly ones rejoices, and the angels sing of God, and openly is made known to the shepherds the Shepherd, Creator of all.
O wicked enemy Herod, why do you fear that Christ should come? He does not snatch away mortal things, who gives the heavenly kingdoms. The magi went by the way they had come, following the star that went before; with light they seek the Light, with a gift they confess Him God. The throng of mothers resounds, weeping over their dashed offspring, whose thousands the tyrant consecrated as a victim to Christ. The heavenly Lamb touched the bathing of the pure stream, He who bore the sins of the world took them away by washing us. By miracles He gave proof that He had God as Father, healing weak bodies and raising up corpses. A new kind of power! The water-jars blush red, and the wave, bidden to pour out wine, changed its origin.
Kneeling on bent knee, the centurion begged health for his little servant; the great ardour of his believing quenched the fires of fever. Peter walks across the waves, lifted up by the right hand of Christ; the path which nature had denied, faith made ready. On the fourth day Lazarus, already stinking, received life again, and freed from the bonds of death, became the survivor of himself. The touched garment stopped the streams of parched blood; while the tears of the suppliant flowed, the rivers of blood ran dry.
Loosed in his whole body, bidden suddenly to rise, the sick man in turn by his own steps carried his little bed. Then that executioner Judas, daring to betray his Master, offered peace with a kiss, which he did not have in his breast. The Truthful One is delivered up to the deceitful, the impious one scourges the holy, and fixed to the cross the innocent One was joined with robbers. After the sabbath certain companions were carrying dry myrrh, to whom the angel spoke that the Living One was not covered in the tomb. Come, with sweet hymns let us all sing of hell subdued to Christ's triumph, who, being sold, redeemed us. The only Son of God trod down the zeal of the envious dragon and the mouth of the most wicked lion, and gave Himself back to the heavens.