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‘Notte de Chelu’ is the most famous of the ‘Cantones de Nadale’, written by Pietro Casu and set to music by Agostino Sanna for the Christmas novena of 1927.
They were an instant hit, first in Berchidda and then, gradually, throughout the Sardegna, and are still known and performed today during the novena in churches across the island.
The poet-parish priest’s aim was to bring the Sardinian language and prayer together, spreading and promoting the Logudorese dialect of Sardinian – an expression of our roots and, thanks in no small part to him, of our faith.
The Pietro Casu Museum is a little gem housed in the Casa Meloni-Pala, which overlooks Piazza del Popolo in Berchidda.
Curated by the Pietro Casu Heirs’ Association, it displays manuscripts, books, sacred objects, photographs and documents belonging to the priest.
Pietro Casu, as well as being the author of the poetic texts of the *Cantones de Nadale*, was a famous preacher, an important novelist and a lexicographer.
The museum is also open during one of the most eagerly awaited Christmas events in Sardegna: Notte de Chelu, which takes its name from the famous song.
Notte de chelu: this is the night when every heart
is filled with joy,
for in the cave the Child
was born to free us from sin.
He is born, he is born, the Child is born.
Come, come, everyone, to marvel at him,
come to worship him,
come to worship him, to love him.
He has left the bright
heavens and come down to the cave to suffer,
born of poor folk
and made the Son of the divine King.
He is born, he is born…
They laid
him on the hay because there was no place for him to rest,
but the angels welcomed
him amongst the stars, making way for him.
He is born, he is born…
Then the shepherds came running
, those poor souls, to greet
him, and amidst the light of heaven they saw him
, and all the earth was filled with gold.
He is born, he is born…
His Mother had no clothes to wrap him in,
but the light itself served to clothe him:
she did not take gold to adorn herself,
but all the stars and the world itself as her destiny.
He is born, he is born…
This is a heavenly night; every heart
overflows with joy,
for in the cave the Baby
Jesus was born to free us from hell.
He is born, he is born, the Baby Jesus is born.
Come, come, everyone, to admire him;
come to worship him,
come to worship him, to love him.
He left the resplendent
heavens and came to the cave to suffer,
as the son of poor folk
, yet He was the Son of the Divine King.
He is born, he is born…
They laid
him on straw because there was no cradle for him to rest in,
but the angels escorted
him, clearing a path for him amongst the stars.
He is born, he is born…
Then the shepherds arrived,
those poor souls, to greet
him, and in the heavenly light they saw
one another and saw gold covering the ground.
He is born, he is born…
His Mother has no clothes to dress him in,
but the light chose to enfold him:
she has neither jewels nor gold with which to adorn herself,
yet she holds the destiny of all the stars and the world in her hands.
He is born, he is born…
Explore the culture and nature of Northern Sardinia: places to discover, local dishes, traditions and stories from the region.
‘Domus de Janas’ is a Sardinian expression meaning ‘house of the fairies’. Legends tell of beings that are not particularly spiritual – demons, somewhere between human and divine.
Sardegna has a wine-making tradition stretching back thousands of years; the earliest evidence of wine-making dates as far back as 1400 BC.
There is a story linked to the island of Tavolara which tells that King Carlo Alberto of Savoy appointed his only son as king of the island.
The Ludurru necropolis is situated in Buddusò, and the domus de janas date back to 3200–2800 BC, famous examples of the Sardegna Neolithic period
The Neptune Caves are spectacular caves dating back to prehistoric times. They are located at Alghero, in Northern Sardinia
The Church of St Francis in Alghero is one of the finest examples of Catalan Gothic architecture in Sardegna
