A Medieval Christmas

The Annunciation

And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazarath, to a virgin spoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. And the angel went in unto her, and said: Hail full of grace, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.

When she saw him, she was abashed at his saying: and cast in her mind what manner of salutation that should be.

And the angel said unto her: fear not Mary: for thou hast found grace with God. Lo: thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and shalt bear a son, and call his name Jesus. He shall be great, and be called the son of the highest. And the lord God shall give unto him the seat of his father David, and he shall reign over the house of Jacob, and his kingdom shall be none end.

Then said Mary unto the angel: How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? And the angel answered and said unto her: The holy ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the highest shall overshadow thee. Therefore also that holy thing which shall be born, shall be called the son of God. And behold thy cousin Elizabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her age. And this is her sixth month, though she be called barren: for with God can nothing be unpossible. And Mary said: behold the handmaiden of the lord, be it unto me even as thou hast said. And the angel departed from her.

The Visitation

And Mary arose in those days, and went into the mountains with haste, into a city of Jewry and entered into the house of Zachrym and saluted Elizabeth. And it fortuned, as Elizabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe sprang in ger belly. And Elizabeth was filled with the holy ghost, and cried with a loud voice and said: Blessed are thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. And whence happeneth this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe sprang in my belly for joy. And blessed art thou that believedst: for those things shall be performed which were told thee from the Lord.

And Mary abode with her about a three months, and returned again to her own house.

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Copyright © 1997 Frances Lincoln Limited