Ordo Prophetarum

Twelfth-century Liturgical drama

            In December 2004 took place the premiere of the liturgical drama "Ordo Prophetarum". Since them it is performed in the Catedral of Santiago de Compostela every Christmas.


        The Ordo Prophetarum is a medieval liturgical drama of the Christmas cycle. Unlike other similar works it was not based in the dramatization of a biblical episode, but from a fragment of a sermon attributed to St. Augustine. Recreating a sort of trial, prophets of different ages and provenances are summoned by the call of a "Praecentor" to witness the arrival of Jesus Christ, the Messiah.


       One of ACTUS’s main motivations to stage the Ordo Prophetarum lies in its link with the “Portico de la Gloria” of the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. According to the thesis of Professor Serafin Moralejo, which identifies various sculptures of the Portico with different characters in the drama, most of the prophets mentioned in various texts containing the Ordo Prophetarum, including pagans, are presentin the Portico. The positioning of the prophets in the Portico is ordered following a spatial approach, placing the visitor not as a spectator of the drama, but as another character in the midst of the prophetic effigies, surrounded by this procession, also invited to give his testimony.


        The performance proposed  by ACTUS parts from a twelfth-century version of the Ordo Prophetarum, preserved in the monastery of St. Martial de Limoges, now in the Bibliotheque Nationale in Paris. The drama is enriched with thematically related pieces, including the “Cantiga 422” of king Alfonso X, "The Wise" or the Eglogue IV from poet Virgil.



        The instruments of the “Portico de la Gloria” are the "orchestra" of the performance. They are placed in the central arch of the Pórtico. This placement leads to a semicircular arrangement of the jugglers at the altar of the cathedral. The instruments were built by Cesar Arias and Francisco Luengo following the research works of Luengo in recent years. The “Portico de la Gloria” also provides invaluable information on the garments, attributes and appearance of the prophets, providing a visually complement to the descriptions of other sources.

Fotographs: Santy López

Organistrum, medieval lute, vyolas and canon made by César Arias and F. Luengo, following the instruments represented in  the “Pórtico de la Gloria” of the Cathedral of Santiago

Harp made by F. Luengo, from the “Pórtico da Gloria”

Citole and large vyola made by F. Luengo from the corbels in the Palace of Xelmírez.

Moorish guitar made by Carlos Paniagua

Large drum made by Víctor Barral

Tabula personae (2009)

Praecentor

Israel

Moisés

Isaías

Xeremías

Daniel

Abacuc

David

Raíña de Saba

Balaam

Simeón

Isabel

Xoán Bautista

Virxilio

Nabucodonosor

Sibila

Xurxo Varela

Luís Martínez

Martín Viaño

Oscar MAto

José María Ares

Diego Neira

José M Abeleira

Malena Pazos

Mª del Rosario Pita

Pablo Mato Collazo

Diego Blázquez

Elena Sobrino

Carlos A. Esteban

Nacho Suárez

Alfredo López Moure

María Giménez

Vocal coordinator: Miro Moreira

Tábula joculatorum

Manuel Vilas

Valentín Novio

César Arias

Sabela García Fonte

Mª José Pámpano

Pablo Gastaminza

William Cooley

Felipe Sánchez

Mercedes Rubio e Bruno Forst

Francisco Luengo

Marcos Mato

Ana Pazos

Tony Esparís

Harp

Citola

Lute

Vyola

Vyola

Vyola

Canon

Moorish guitar

Organistrum

Large Vyola

Bells and percussion

Medieval trumpet

Medieval trumpet

Conductor: Francisco Luengo

Musical Instruments in Ordo Prophetarum

TechnicalTeam:

Francisco Luengo

Miro Moreira

Manuel Castiñeiras

Clotilde Vaello

Inés Rodriguez and Fannybell

Puri Pereira, María Illobre and Raquel Fidalgo

Parolas

Felipe Sar

Art direction, music transcription and adaptation

Choir Master

Art Advisory

Costumes

Hairdresser

Makeup

Transport

Producer

Magnis prophetae uocibus

uenire Christum nuntian

Laetae salutis praeuia

qua nos redemit gratia.


Hinc mane nosrum promicat

et corda laeta exaestuant,

cum uox fidelis personat

praenutiatrix gloriae.


Aduentus hic primus fuit,

punire quo non saeculum

uenit, sed ulcus tergere,

saluando quod perierat.


At nos secundus praemonet

adesse Christum ianuis,

sanctis coronas reddere

caelique regna pandere.


Aeterna lux promittitur

sidusque saluans promitur;

iam nos iubar praefulgidum

ad ius uocat celestium.


Te, Christe, solum quaerimus

uidere, sicut est Deus,

ut perpes haec sit uisio

perenne laudis canticum.

Amen.

Omnes:


This is the Eritrean Sibyl,

the pagan seer,

who  saw the coming of Christ.


Vera pande jam, Sibilla

que de de Christo prescis signa?



Madre de Deus, ora

por nos teu Fill´essa ora.


U verra na carne

que quis fillar de ty, Madre

joyga-lo mundo

cono poder de seu Padre.


Madre de Deus…


E u el a todos

pareçerá mui sannudo,

enton fas-elle’enmente

de como foi coçebudo.


Madre de Deus…


E en aque dia,

quand’elle for mais irado,

fais-lle tu emente

com’en ti foi enserrado.


Madre de Deus…


U verás dos santos

as compannas espantadas

mostra-ll’as tas tetas

santas que ouv’el mamadas.


Madre de Deus…


U ao juiyzio

todos, per com’é escrito,

verrán, di-lli como

con el fugisti a Egito.


Madre de Deus…


U leixarán todos

os viços e as requezas,

di-lle que sofriste

con el(e) muitas pobrezas.


Madre de Deus…


U queimará fogo

serras (e) vales e montes,

di com’en Egipto

non achast’aguas nen fontes.


Madre de Deus…


U verás os angeos

estar ant’ele tremendo,

di’lle quantas vezes

o tu andast’ascondendo.


Madre de Deus…


U dirán as tronpas:

“Mortos, levade-vos logo”,

di-ll’u o perdiste

que ta coita non foy jogo.


Madre de Deus…


U será o ayre

de fog’e de suffr’aceso

di-ll’a mui gran coita

que ouviste pois foi preso.


Madre de Deus…


U verrá do çeo

sõo mui fort’e rogido

di-ll’o que soffriste

u d’açoutes foi ferido.


Madre de Deus…


U terrán escrito

nas frontes quanto fezeron,

di-ll’o que soffriste

quand’o ena cruz poseron.


Madre de Deus…


E quando ss’iguaren

montes (e) vales e chaõs,

di-ll’o que sentiste

u lle pregaron as mãos.


Madre de Deus…


E u o sol craro

tornar mui negro de medo,

di-ll’o que sentiste

u beveu fel e azedo.


Madre de Deus…


E du o mar grande

perderá sa semellança,

di-ll’o que sofriste

u lle deron cona lança.


Madre de Deus…


E u as estrelas

caeren do firmamento,

di-ll’o que sentiste u

(foi) posto monumento.


Madre de Deus…


E du o inferno

levar os que mal obraron,

di-ll’o que se(n)tiste

u o sepulc(r)o guardaron.


Madre de Deus…


E u todo-los Reys

foren ant’el omildosos,

di-lle como vees

deles dos mais poderosos.


Madre de Deus…


E u mostrar ele

todo’estes grandes pavores,

fas com’avogada,

ten voz de nos pecadores.


Madre de Deus…


Que polos teus rogos

nos lev’ao parayso

seu, u alegria

ajamos por senpr’e riso.


Madre de Deus, ora

por nos teu Fill’essa ora.

Sibilla

Praecentor:




Appeal:




Response:

Hodie scietis

quia veniet Dominus

et mane videbitis

gloriam eius.

Omnes:

Antiphona

Praecentor:






Appeal:





Response:

Nabuchadnezzar,

King of Babylon

who asked Daniel

to interpret his dreams.



Age, fare, os lagene

que de Christo nosti uere

Nabucodonosor prophetiza,

auctorem omnium auctoriza.


Cum reuisi

tres quos misi

uiros in incendium,

uidi iustis

incombustis

mixtum Dei filium.

Uiros tre in ignem misi,

cuartum cerno prolem Dei.

Nabuchadnezzar

Virgil arrives, the gentle bard

bear witness to Christ!.


Vates, Maro, gentilium,

da Christo testimonium!


Ultima Cumaei uenit iam carminis aetas;

Magnus ab integro saeclorum nascitur ordo

Iam redit et Uirgo redeunt Saturnia regna

Iam oua progenies caelo demittitur alto.

Tu modo nascenti puero. quo ferrea primum

desinet ac toto surget gens aurea mundo,

Casta faue Lucina: tuus iam regnat Apolo

Teque adeo decus hoc aeui, te consule inibit,

Pollio, et incipient magni procedere menses

te duce, si qua manent sceleris uestigia nostri

inrita perpetua soluent formidine terras.

ille deum uitam accipiet diuisque uidebit

permixtos heroas et ipse uidebitur illis,

pacatumque reget patriis uirtutibus urbem.

(Égloga IV, 4-17)


Ecce polo demissa sola noua progenies est.

Praecentor:



Appeal:



Response:

Virgil

This one is John, he who poured

over Jesus the shining

waters of the Jordan,

recognizing him as the Messiah,

when the dove descend

on the Son of God.


Dic, Baptista

uentris cista clausus

Qua dedisti causa

Christo plausus?

Cui dedisti gaudium

profer et testimonium?


Venit talis

salutaris

cuius non sum etiam

tam benignus

ut sim ausus

soluere corrigiam.

Praecentor:







Appeal:







Response:

John the Baptist

Here comes Elizabeth,

an old woman,

who gave to Zachariah

a son named John.


Illud, Helisabeth, in medium,

de Domino profer eloquium!


Quid est rei

quod me mei

mater heri uisitat?

Nam ex eo,

uentre meo

letus infans palpitat.

Praecentor:





Appeal:



Response:

Elizabeth

Simeón, a just and pious man,

he recognized

in the Temple of Jerusalem

the Lord’s anointed one,

and blessed Him but to Mary

prophesied many troubles.



Nunc Simeon adueniat,

qui responsum acceperat,

qui non haberet terminum

donec uideret Dominum.


Lumen ad revelationem gentium:

et gloria plebis tuae Israel.


Nunc me dimittas, Domine.

finire uitam in pace.


Lumen ad revelationem…


Quia mei modo cernunt oculi


Lumen ad revelationem…


quem misisti

hunc mundum pro salute populi.


Lumen ad revelationem…


Gloria Patri et Filio

et Spiitui Sancto

sicut erat in principio,

et nunc, et semper,

et in saecula seculorum.

Amen.

Simeon

Praecentor:








Appeal:





Antiphona



Response:



Antiphona:




Antiphona:





Antiphona:


This is Balaam, the foreteller,

stopped by the angel of the Lord,

as he was going to meet with Balac,

the Moabite king.


Dic tu, Balaam, filius Beor,

propheta moabitarum:

Da Christo testimonium!


Orietur stella ex Iacob,

et consurget uirga de Israel

et percutiet duces Moab

uastabitque omnes filios Seth.

Balaam

Praecentor:





Appeal:




Response:

Pay attention to the gentle Queen of Sheba,

who visited Solomon

to pay him homage

and bahte herself in his wisdom.


Sapientiae Salomonis,

Regina Saba

uera pandet iam.


Regina austri surget in iudicio

cum generationes ista,

et condemnauit eam:

quia uenit a finibus terre,

audire sapientiam Salomonis,

et ecce plus quam Salomon hic.

Queen of Sheba

Praecentor:





Appeal:




Response:

This is David son of Jesse,

of the tribe of Judah,

shepherd, musician,

defeater of evil and great king.


Dic tu, David, de nepote,

causas que sunt tibi note?


Universus

grex conuersus

adorabit Dominum,

qui futurum seruiturum

omne genus hominum.

Dixit Dominus Domino meo:

sede a dextris meis.

David

Praecentor:





Appeal:



Response:

This is Habakukk,

a lesser of Israel’s prophets,

critic of idolatry.


Abacuc, regis celestis,

nunc ostende quod sis testis!


Et expectaui,

mox expaui

metu mirabilium,

opus tuum

interduum

corpus animalium.

Habakukk

Praecentor:




Appeal:



Response:

Here comes Daniel,

the young hebrew.

the prefiguration of Christ,

who was saved from lions.


Daniel, indica,

uoce prophetica,

facta dominica.


Rex in aeternum vive.


Sanctus Sanctorum ueniet,

et unctio deficiet.


Ecce uenit

Sanctus ille

sanctorum santissimus

que rex iste

iubet coli

potens et fortissimus.


Sanctus Sanctorum ueniet,

et unctio deficiet.


Rex in aeternum vive.

Daniel

Praecentor:




Appeal:




Omnes:


Response:













Omnes:

Hodie scietis

quia veniet Dominus

et mane videbitis

gloriam eius.

Omnes:

Antiphona

Here comes Jeremíah,

eternally pursued,

who prphesied the fall of Jerusalem

and captivity on Babylon.


Huc accede, Ieremias:

dic de Christo prophetias!


Sic est.

Hic est

Deus noster

sine quo non erit alter.

Ieremiah

Praecentor:





Appeal:



Response:

This is the prophet Isaíah,

who decried failing moral standars,

and three times announced the coming of Emmanuel.


Isaías, verum qui scis,

ueritatem cur non dicis?


Est necesse

Uirgam Iesse

de radice prouehi

flos deinde

surget inde,

qui est spiritus Dei.

Isaiah

Praecentor:




Appeal:



Response:

This is Moses,

the pratriarca to whom God gave the mission to free his nation

through a long journey across the desert.


Legislator huc propinqua,

et de Christus prome digna!


Dabit Deus uobis vatem;

huic ut mihi aurem date,

qui non audit hunc audientem,

expellitur sua gente.

Moyses

Praecentor:





Appeal:



Response:

This is the nation of Israel

from the line of Jacob,

from whose lineage

the Messiah will be born.


Israel, uir lenis, inque?

De Christo (quid) nosti firme?


Dux de Iuda non tollitur

donec adsit qui notetur.

Salutare Dei uerbum

expectabunt gentes mecum.

Israel

Praecentor:





Appeal:



Response:

Himnus

Praecentor:

Omnes gentes

congaudentes

dent cantus leticiae!

Deus homo fit

de domo David,

natus hodie.


O Iudei,

uerbum Dei

qui negatis hominem

uestre leges,

testem regis

audite per ordinem.


Et uos, gentes,

non credentes

peperisse uirginem,

uestre gentis,

documentis,

pellite caliginem.

˜

Iudea incredula,

cur manes adhuc inuerecunda?

Omnes:

Ordo Prophetarum. Galician subtitleshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9r0wF-jg-9ghttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9r0wF-jg-9gshapeimage_1_link_0
medieval instrumentsInstruments_eng.htmlshapeimage_2_link_0