The Birth of John the Baptist

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel;
he has come to his people and set them free.
He has raised up for us a mighty savior,
born of the house of his servant David.

Through his holy prophets he promised of old
that he would save us from our enemies,
from the hands of all who hate us.

He promised to show mercy to our fathers
and to remember his holy covenant.
This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham;
to set us free from the hands of our enemies,
free to worship him without fear,
holy and righteous in his sight all the days of our life.

You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High;
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,
to give his people knowledge of salvation
by the forgiveness of their sins.

In the tender compassion of our God
the dawn from on high shall break upon us, to shine
on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death,
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.


Et Zacharias pater eius impletus est Spiritu Sancto
et prophetavit dicens:

“Benedictus Dominus, Deus Israel,
quia visitavit et fecit redemptionem plebi suae
et erexit cornu salutis nobis
in domo David pueri sui,
sicut locutus est per os sanctorum,
qui a saeculo sunt, prophetarum eius,
salutem ex inimicis nostris
et de manu omnium, qui oderunt nos;
ad faciendam misericordiam cum patribus nostris
et memorari testamenti sui sancti,
iusiurandum, quod iuravit ad Abraham patrem nostrum,
daturum se nobis,
ut sine timore, de manu inimicorum liberati,
serviamus illi
in sanctitate et iustitia coram ipso
omnibus diebus nostris.

Et tu, puer, propheta Altissimi vocaberis:
praeibis enim ante faciem Domini parare vias eius,
ad dandam scientiam salutis plebi eius
in remissionem peccatorum eorum,
per viscera misericordiae Dei nostri,
in quibus visitabit nos oriens ex alto,
illuminare his, qui in tenebris et in umbra mortis sedent,
ad dirigendos pedes nostros in viam pacis .”

Lucam 1:67-79