At the stroke of Midnight, in a church lit only by candles and the decorative lighting, the children’s choir began to sing Silent Night. Advent had ended so the singing was accompanied by the organ. Father, wearing gold, carried the figurine of the Infant Jesus in procession and placed Him in the manger.
Even though the Mass started on Sunday, there was no Asperges because this was not the principal Mass of a Sunday morning. Thus, we started immediately with the Introit, Dominus Dixit ad Me, as Father approached the altar.
We sang Mass II, For Solemn Feasts (Kyrie fons Bonitatis) and paired that with Credo III.
At the Offertory, the mixed choir sang a two-part setting of Tota Puchra Es. The piece has a very unique sound, coming, as it does from the repertoire of Corsican chant.
At the Communion, the mixed choir sang O Magnum Mysterium, a 4-part setting by Tomás Luis de Victoria of the responsory that the schola had sung earlier that evening in Matins of Christmas.
The schola followed that with a two-part harmonization of the Gregorian, Puer Natus in Bethlehem.
And finally, we closed with the GLORI-ous Angels we have Heard on High.