Item 4: Antiphonal

This giant book was designed to stand on a lectern in the centre of the choir, so that a group of singers could chant the antiphons and responsories of the Divine Office from its pages. Its one large historiated initial, together with a group of splendidly decorated initials for other major feasts of the Christmas season, have been reproduced on the web by the State Library of South Australia.

Stylistically this image of the Nativity is an example of the Byzantine formula which was in use in Italy before its modification by a new Gothic humanism in the early 14th century. In the icon on which this composition is based, the large figure of the reclining Mary signifies the believing Church, and the ox and the ass, who attend the newborn infant, represent those who respond positively to the appearance of the Saviour, calling to mind the words of the prophet Isaiah, ‘the ox knows his owner, and the ass his master's crib’.

The bathing of the new born infant by two midwives, shown on the left, derives from antique art where the ritual first bath of a Greek hero signified the destiny of one who was later to attain godly status, and the angels symmetrically arranged around the typical Byzantine landscape of white mountains also draw attention to the divine kingship of Christ which is celebrated in the accompanying text.

Distinctive aspects of this composition include the red background of the initial, a colour picked up in other decorative motifs; Joseph’s royal red mantle; and the prominence of his large, raised gold halo. And an eye-catching detail is the green jug, which appears outside the composition, engagingly close to a note of music.

Now listen to an example of Latin text and its translation from this item, read by Professor Emeritus Peter Steele, from The University of Melbourne.

Today the King of Heaven deigned to be born of the Virgin so that a lost humanity might be called home to the celestial realm. The host of angels rejoices because eternal salvation is shown to the human race. Glory to God in the highest and on Earth peace to people of good will.