The Birth of Christ

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Oberufer's Christmas Play – Portuguese version by Ruth Salles

THE COMPANY: Cantor da Estrela, the angel Gabriel, Maria, José, the innkeepers Rufino, Sérvilo and Tito, the three shepherds, João, Chico and Pedro, and the fourth, Tião, make their entrance singing:

NOTE

Karl Julius Schröer (1825-1890), professor of German literature and researcher of popular traditions, learned that in Hungary, on an island in the Danube called Oberufer, peasants of German descent performed Christmas plays of ancient origin, as they were represented at the end of the Age. Average, with a very sacred spirit. Schröer did careful research and published it when he was just 33 years old. Having been Rudolf Steiner's teacher, he told him about these plays. Recognizing their importance, Rudolf Steiner began to perform them at various Christmas festivities, and it became traditional to perform them every year at the Goetheanum, and later at Waldorf schools and other anthroposophical communities. The sometimes serious, sometimes humorous aspect and the very simple poetic language of the primitive peasants who represented them were maintained. Steiner divided the “Birth” play in two: the first, “The Birth of Christ”, contains only what had to do with the Gospel of Luke (which only talks about the shepherds, not the Magi); the second, “The Three Wise Men”, contains the part related to the Gospel of Matthew (which only speaks of the Wise Men and not the shepherds). The group also includes the play “O Paraíso”, which talks about Adam and Eve and which was performed later. Rudolf Steiner recommended that the play by the Magi, speaking of the slaughter of the innocent, should only be watched by children over 10 years of age. However, it is up to the teachers to make some adaptation of this passage, if they decide to stage it.

Ruth Salles

THE COMPANY:

Bless God our entry
and the time of departure;
bless the bread in our home,
who rests and who deals.
Good death to God we pray,
and heaven we will inherit.

THE STAR SINGER says:

Dear singers, stay close together,
as in the frying pan are the dumplings.
Dear singers, let's form a half-circle,
and our time to sing let's pass.
Dear singers, cheer in your hearts!
And let's begin our greetings!
Let us greet God the Father on his throne of lofty brightness,
and let us also salute his only Son;
let us salute the Holy Spirit, and verily,
salute the entire Holy Trinity.

(Joseph and Mary step forward.)
We salute Joseph and the Virgin Mary
and also your Son, with great joy.
We salute the ox and the donkey,
that the manger are very near.
Let's salute for the sun and the glare of the full moon
that illuminate the sea and the rivers of the village.
Let us salute through the grove and the grass of the meadow,
and by the holy rain that leaves everything and everyone wet.
Let us salute Caesar and the crown he has,
and salute the schoolmaster who does everything so well.
We salute the Lord Healer and the Reverend Pastor,
that allowed us to sing and sing.
Let us salute the lord judge with his jurors,
because they deserve to be honored.
We salute the community here,
which is all gathered in front of us.
We salute our Council, so honored,
as if God himself had arranged it.
We salute for every hidden root,
that from the depths of the earth will seek life.
Dear singers, let's change the tune;
the star also expects to be greeted.
Let us salute this elongated rod,
where our star is supported.
Let us salute your grid to open and to close;
she is the one who makes the star walk.
We salute all the little pieces of wood
which together form the light accordion.

Dear singers, stay like this
that our star we were saluting.
Let's salute the singing master who comes here,
and to your hat we also salute you.
Let's salute our master, who worked so hard
and who, with God's help, tested us.
Dear singers have been heard
greetings to all addressed by us.

(The Company sits on the side benches. The angel Gabriel comes forward and speaks.)

THE ANGEL GABRIEL:

No offense, here I am.
A good night I come to wish you,
a good night, a blessed hour
that the Lord of Heaven will offer.
Honored sirs, wise, generous,
gentle maidens, virtuous ladies,
don't be angry for a few moments
in which you will have to hear this touching story.
What do we bring to you now?
it's not poetry made by us,
nor anything imagined by heathens,
but which is contained in Holy Scripture.
Namely: it is the birth of Our Lord Jesus,
who came to be our comfort and our light.
And now, if you want to listen in peace,
pay attention and listen silently.

The COMPANY goes around singing:

By fulfilling the good God
what you promised us,
sent us from heaven
the angel Gabriel.
He descended into Galilee,
right where is Nazareth.
There is a Virgin there:
it's Mary.
And Mary to Joseph
was given by a woman.
(The Company leaves; only Mary remains. The angel Gabriel leaves the background, stops in front of Mary and speaks)

THE ANGEL:

Hail, O full of grace!
The Lord is with you.
Blessed are you among women.
behold, thou shalt conceive
and you will bring forth a Son,
and you shall name him Jesus.
And He will reign over His people forever.

MARIA:

How will this be done,
if I don't know a man?