Retinenda—Latin for Lutherans

Just a quick note again on the O Antiphons. They really seem to be quite popular this year (especially around the blogosphere). Actually, they seem to have gained a lot of popularity over the past several years. In fact, last year my fieldwork congregation did a whole Advent series on them (they spread them out over the whole season; is there any parish left that has Vespers every evening the week before Christmas?).

For the few of us who lament the loss of Latin in use among Lutheran Churches, it’s nice to see that there are strong “aftertastes” of a Latin speaking church yet remaining among us.

Oh, and it goes without saying that, though the English translations are very good, the beauty and brevity of the Latin is unsurpassed.