Scripture Verse

The angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, to a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. Luke 1:26–27

Introduction

portrait
Sabine Baring-Gould (1834–1924)
National Portrait Gallery

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Words: Basque ca­rol, trans­lat­ed by Sa­bi­ne Bar­ing-Gould (1834–1924).

Music: Ga­bri­el’s Mes­sage Basque ca­rol (🔊 pdf nwc).

Lyrics

The an­gel Ga­bri­el from Hea­ven came,
His wings as drift­ed snow, his eyes as flame;
All hail, said he, thou low­ly maid­en Ma­ry,
Most high­ly fa­vored la­dy,
Glo­ria!

For know a bless­èd mo­ther thou shalt be,
All ge­ne­ra­tions laud and hon­or thee,
Thy Son shall be Em­ma­nu­el, by seers fore­told,
Most high­ly fa­vored la­dy,
Glo­ria!

Then gen­tle Ma­ry meek­ly bowed her head,
To me be as it pleas­eth God, she said,
My soul shall laud and ma­gn­ify His ho­ly name.
Most high­ly fa­vored lady, Glo­ria!

Of her, Em­ma­nu­el, the Christ, was born
In Beth­le­hem, all on a Christ­mas morn,
And Chris­tian folk through­out the world
Will ev­er say—
Most high­ly fa­vored la­dy, Glo­ria!

illustration
Ecce Ancilla Domini!
Dante G. Rossetti, 1850