"Tu Scendi dalle Stelle"

 

This is a beautiful Italian Christmas song I first sang when we our ward boundaries changed, and we were moved from the Beverly Park Ward into the Harbour Pointe ward. Native Italian Sylvia Kemple asked those of us who'd served missions in Italy (which was a surprisingly high amount for a single ward. I think there were 7 of us) if we could all sing this at the ward Christmas party. I'd heard it before but had never paid close attention to the lyrics. Singing it helped me see how touching they are. I always have to hold back the tears when I sing "Ah, quanto ti costò l'avermi amato!" (oh how much did it cost you to have loved me!). I'll post both the Italian lyrics and English translation below. It's most typical to only sing two verses, which I've posted below, but there are actually 7 verses in total. You can find them all at this link.

Speaking of Sylvia, I want to share my interesting history with her and the rest of the Bellini family. I served in Brescia, Italy from May - November of 2004. I briefly met Sylvia's brother Marco and his wife Daniela and their kids before they moved to the US. Their father Mario was in the Brescia ward and stake president of the Venice stake, and he and his German wife would invite us over and serve us delicious Germanyfood about once a week while we taught an inactive friend of theirs. I was told that they had a sister who lived with her husband in Florida at the time. Fast forward to 2007, Oscar and I moved into the Bothell 3rd ward in Washington where I was told there was an Italian family in my ward. Turns out it was Marco and Daniela and family! They lived and continue to live in Washington, though I had no idea since that's not where they first moved when they came to the US. I moved out of the Bothell ward and into the Lynnwood stake in 2008 but continued to see Daniela at the gym where we attended the same aerobics classes. Fast forward to 2015 when our stake boundaries changed where I meet Sylvia and her family, who had moved to Washington from Florida several years earlier. Her parents had also moved to the US, and it was fun to reunite with them. I seem to just follow the Bellini family around! Now that I'm in Colorado Springs, I told Sylvia one of her or Marco's kids has to move into my ward so I can keep up the tradition!

Italiano
Tu scendi dalle stelle o Re del Cielo
E vieni in una grotta al freddo al gelo
O Bambino mio Divino
Io ti vedo qui a tremar,
O Dio Beato!
Ah, quanto ti costò l'avermi amato.

A te che sei del mondo, il Creatore,
Mancano panni e fuoco, o mio Signore.
Caro eletto pargoletto,
Quanto questa povertà
Più mi innamora,
Giacchè ti fece amor povero ancora.

English Translation
You come down from the stars
Oh, King of Heavens,
And You come in a cave in the cold, in the frost,
Oh, my Divine Baby
I see you trembling here,
Oh, Blessed God
Ah, how much did it cost you to have loved me!

For you, who is the Creator of the world,
Without clothes and warmth, oh my Lord,
Dear chosen one, little baby,
This dire poverty,
Makes me love you more,
Since Love is what made you so poor.

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