Nathanael Hahn

The poet Christina Rosetti wrote “Holy Innocents” in the form of a lullaby, and it could certainly be beautifully used as one. But the title indicates this text is intended to call more to mind: the young ones ruthlessly put to death by King Herod after the birth of Christ. The connection of death to sleep is a biblical one; Jesus says of the girl he raises from the dead, “She is only sleeping.” So too, for all God’s children who, having died in faith, await the final Resurrection at the coming of Christ, the true Light.

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This setting strives to capture, on the one hand, the gentle sweetness of a mother’s lullaby. On the other hand, as the piece progresses, it lets in the weight of sorrow, hope, and ultimately joy the Christian has when Jesus takes a young loved one to Himself. The final section is led by a soprano soloist, who acts as a grieving mother. She is joined by voices who represent the countless parents who have gone through the same loss, unified by their faith in Christ’s Resurrection.​​