23rd of December

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Old Norwegian Homily Book, AM 619 4to, from c. 1200 is the oldest extant Norwegian book. It contains a collection of sermons (homilies) intended for reading aloud on religious holidays. The first of these sermons (18r) is for reading on Christmas Day. The rubric reads: "In natiuitate domini nostri iesu Cristi sermo" (Sermon for the birth of our lord Jesus Christ), and it is followed by an Old Norwegian translation the Gospel According to Luke chapter 2, verses 1-20: "Augustus konungr sende boðorð umm allan hæim at lata rita mann tal í hverri borg, at hann vissi hve mykin scatt hann scyldi hæimta or hverio heraðe" (KJV: And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed.)

After the gospel there is the sermon itself (18v), which begins by addressing the congregation ”Goðer brøðr” (dear brothers) and states that the interpretation (”scyring”) of the gospel should not be overly long as there are three masses to be held on Christmas Day, but that there must be some talk about the birth of Our Saviour (”burðar tið lausnara”). The sermon then continues on for five pages!

The beginning of the gospel (”Guðspioll”) is marked by an initial G, which takes up 9 lines and is written in red and blue with red, blue and green decoration. Another slightly smaller initial E in red and green marks the beginning of the sermon ”Egi megom vér langt mæla” (We must not talk for long.)

You can turn the pages on AM 619 4to on Handrit.org
(https://handrit.is/en/manuscript/view/da/AM04-0619)