“Holy night, holy night! Peace on high held in the stars' yoke! All—that ever the Light had broke, Is rejoined now, Both flesh and brow Bleed sweetly in the red-dusk! Bjelbog's Spear, Bjelbog's Spear Sinks to the heart of the drunk earth, Which—with a sign of holy mirth A lone rose-bloom Within the womb Of the darkest desire dips. Spotless bride, spotless bride! Your sweet contrition—cover up, When the full-filled wedding cup Yet overflows. Thus also goes Into the fierce Night the Day!” ChristmasSolsticeEquinoxHoly Night Author:Clemens Brentano
“Christmas is ... a time to mark our progress through this earthly journey. Every December we can look back and marvel at the designs of God and realize how very little we are in control of the events that shaped the past year. Then, with hearts full, look to the celebration of that silent, holy night, and all its certainty. Because of Christmas, this we know: Christ was born for us. He is love, and the plans he has for us always surpass those of our own.” KnowsYearsLooksHeartLittlesPastNightChristRealizingBornProgressPlansJourneyEventsDesignHolyMarkSilentChristmasCertaintyCelebrationDecemberHoly Night Author:Karen Kingsbury
“I sang "O Holy Night" in a school choir. My mother came and listened to me and complimented me. So that was the high point. I cannot sing a note.” SchoolMotherNightHolyNotesChoirHigh PointsHoly Night Author:Toni Morrison
“The mystery of the Holy Night, which historically happened two thousand years ago, must be lived as a spiritual event in the 'today' of the Liturgy," the Pope clarified. "The Word who found a dwelling in Mary's womb comes to knock on the heart of every person with singular intensity this Christmas.” YearsHeartPersonsTwoTodaySpiritualNightFoundHappenedMysteryEventsHolyThousandYears AgoChristmasIntensityMaryThousand YearsPopeWombDwellingChristmas SpiritLiturgyHoly Night Author:Pope John Paul II
“Silent night, holy night. All is calm, all is bright. Round yon Virgin Mother and Child. Holy Infant so tender and mild. Sleep in heavenly peace. Sleep in heavenly peace.” ChildrenMotherNightSleepHolySilentRoundsCalmChristmasHeavenlyVirginsInfantMother And ChildChristian ChristmasChristmas SongSilent NightHoly Night Author:Joseph Mohr
“Silent night, holy night, when the bough flies from the tree and is hung everywhere, when from tables the crusts fly, when the gifts begin to tremble because lovelessness walks through the world, because it snarls at you, barks at you from the snow, and the silver ribbons rip and the tinsel rustles silvery, and the silver and gold, and a golden word come to you on which you choke because you have been sold and betrayed, and because it does not suffice that for you one is redeemed who once died.” WorldDoeHas BeensNightWalksTreeHolyGoldDiedTablesSilentSnowGoldenSilverHungBetrayedRipChokeBarkRedeemedRibbonsTinselLovelessnessSilent NightHoly Night Author:Ingeborg Bachmann
“Each night a child is born is a holy night.” ChildrenNightBornHolyHoly Night Author:Sophia Lyon Fahs
“The Holy Night We sate among the stalls at Bethlehem; The dumb kine from their fodder turning them, Softened their horned faces To almost human gazes Toward the newly Born: The simple shepherds from the star-lit brooks Brought visionary looks, As yet in their astonied hearing rung The strange sweet angel-tongue: The magi of the East, in sandals worn, Knelt reverent, sweeping round, With long pale beards, their gifts upon the ground, The incense, myrrh, and gold These baby hands were impotent to hold: So let all earthlies and celestials wait Upon thy royal state. Sleep, sleep, my kingly One!” HumansLooksLongStatesHandsFacesNightStarsWaitingBornSleepSimpleStrangeSweetBabyHolyAngelGoldRoundsHearingTongueEastDumbPaleWornRoyalLitBeardVisionariesBrooksShepherdsSweepingIncenseBethlehemSandalsFodderHoly Night Author:Elizabeth Barrett Browning