The Latin word gaudeamus means let us be glad. In a sad world we might try to be especially attentive to the signs of life and hope: that there is still beauty to be had! The medieval stone-carved, smiling angel along the way here, survived the Nazi bombing of the great cathedral at Amien, France. And the photo following, of Giotto's Nativity scene at the Scrovegni Chapel in Italy, although it has lost much of its Lapis Lazulli paint, is still extraordinarily beautiful. And these days, if even only by one minute each day, the sunlight increases. And Joseph was warned in a dream to take the Child to safety in Egypt - and he paid attention.
The contemporary music accompanying the pictures here is titled Gaudeamus, composed by Antony Hopkins. There are no lyrics, so as we view the photos we're left to our own happy imagining. The piece is found on "Rejoice! A String Quartet Christmas - Arturo Delmoni." Best Christmas album I've come across.
