O,
how wonderfully
your fatherly goodness bows to us!
What an invaluable expression of your love:
You gave your Son to redeem the servant!
Truly necessary was Adam's sin,
which Christ wiped away with his death.
O
happy fault,
for which the Redeemer came
so noble and great!
O
truly blessed night,
the only one that dared to know the time and hour,
when Christ rose from the realm of the dead!
This is the night,
of which it was written:
“Night will shine like day”
and
“Night is my light in all my joys.”
And so this sanctified night
drives away sins,
washes away guilt,
returns innocence to sinners
and joy to the sorrowful;
it drives away hatred,
creates unity of hearts
and humbles wicked powers.
O
truly gracious night,
that united earth with heaven,
man with God.
(the canticle Exultet; 5th–7th century)
