nabo

Agate Deuna / Saint Agatha

Lyrics | Alternate Lyrics | Sheet Music | Video | Story of Saint Agatha

A Basque singing tradition is Saint Agatha's eve (Santa Ageda bezpera in Basque) on February 4. Singers go door to door throughout towns. Homeowners can choose to hear a song about her life, accompanied by the beats of their walking sticks on the floor or a prayer for those deceased in the house. In exchange, the home-owner could donate food to the roaming choir. This song has varying lyrics according to the local tradition.

Audio

Click the icon to hear Santa Ageda in Boise (2011)

Santa Ageda

Dios te salve, ongi etorri!
Gabon Jainkoak diela!
Legearekin kunpli dezagun
Santa Ageda bezperan
.

Ageda Deuna

Lyrics

1.
Zorion, etxe hontako denoi!
Oles egitera gatoz,
aterik ate ohitura zaharra
aurten berritzeko asmoz.
Ez gaude oso aberats diruz,
ezta ere oinetakoz.
Baina eztarriz sano gabiltza,
ta kanta nahi degu gogoz.

2.
Santa Ageda bezpera degu
Euskal Herriko eguna,
etxe guztiak kantuz pozteko
aukeratu deguna.
Santa maitea gaur hartu degu
gure bideko laguna.
Haren laguntzaz bete gentzake
egun hontako jarduna.

3.
Siziliako uharte ederrak
emana digu lorea.
Han jaio baitzan gure Ageda,
zorioneko gaztea.
Txikitatikan gogoz hartu zun
Jesukristoren legea.
Maitasun honek ekarri zion
bihotzeko poz betea.

4.
Edertasunez jaunak apaindu
zuan Ageda gaztetan.
Haren begiak izar bi ziran,
aurpegi gozo haretan.
Gizon gaiztoen grina zitalak
esna zitzakeen benetan.
Laster izutu zen Kintziano
Agedaren ederretan.

5.
Agedak bere maite bakarra
Jesus aukeratu zuan.
Horregatikan beste maiterik
ez zan harentzat munduan.
Kintzianoren eske guztiak
arrez baztertu zituan.
Baina agintarik gaizto harek
kristautzat salatu zuan.

6.
Emakume gaizto baten mende,
sartu zuten giltzapean,
Agedaren bihotz garbi hura
zikin ote zezakean.
Alperrik baina ahalegindu zen
andre lizuna lanean.
Honek esanak ez ziran
sartu Agedaren bihotzean.

7.
Amorru biziz oinutsik jarri
dute Ageda zintzoa,
txingar gorien gainean gero
ibilarazi gaixoa.
Ondoren, bular bat ebakita,
uzten dute urratua.
Baina Jainkuak bihurtu zion
gau hartan bular mindua.

8.
Alperrik gizon gaiztoak zuten
oinazez erdi hilik utzi.
Jesukristoren maitasun hartan
ez zuna inola etsi.
Otoi gozotan gogoa isuriz
mundu hontatik ihesi,
zeruetako zori ederra
betiko zun irabazi.

9.
Mendi tontorrak elurrez zuri,
atai aldean laiotza.
Etxe hontako nagusi jaunak,
urrezkoa du bihotza.
Santa Agedak kendu digu gaur
eskean hasteko lotsa,
dirurik ez bada, berdin zaigu
gizendutako bildotsa.

10.
Zelai erdian loreak argi,
larros, krabelin ta lili.
Etxe hontako etxekoandreak
Ama Birjina dirudi.
Etxe hontako urdaiazpiko
asko, kakotik zintzilik,
ta lukainka gorriak ugari
poltsa betetzeko guri.

Santa Ageda

 

Other Variations

Alternate Beginning

Zorion etxe hontako deno
oles egitera gatoz.
Aterik ate ohitura zaharra,
aurten berritzeko asmoz.
Ez gaude oso aberats diruz,
ez ta ere oinetakoz,
baina eztarriz sano gabiltza,
ta kanta nahi dugu gogoz.
Agate deuna bezpera degu,
Euskal Herriko eguna,
etxe guztiak kantu pozteko,
aukeratu eguna.

For the mayor

Alkate jauna, legean gatoz,
baimen eskean atera,
Kanta zaharrak galdu ez ditezen,
lehengo ohitura piztera.
Guraso zaharren legean pozik,
goaz danok kantatzera.
Santa Agedak ekarri gaitu,
berorren etxe aurrera.

For the priest

Bikario jaunari.
Apaizburu jaunaren atean,
jo nahi degu gaur aurrena,
Jaungoikoaren ordezkoari,
gure agurrik onena.
Zeruko Jaunak argitu beza,
berorren jardun zuzena,
zeru goietan izan dezagun,
guztiok gure azkena

In a bar

Aspaldi hontan ura garesti,
dabil esne ta ardotan,
mahats gutxi izan arren ardorik,
ezta palta tabernetan.
Jesusek ura ardotu bazun,
Kanaango eztaietan:
orain ikasle azkarrak sortu,
zaizkio ardangeletan.

In a bar

Ura gustatzen zaigu eskuak,
ta aurpegia garbitzeko,
baina Napar beltza behar degu,
eztarria bustitzeko.
Txanpaina ere edango genuke,
norbait balitz ekartzeko,
pattarra ez da gaizki etortzen,
bizkarreko otza kentzeko.
Gogoz eskerrak ematen dio,
Agate Deuna gabian,
adiosikan ez degu eta,
agur, ikusi artea.

Santa Ageda

The Story of Saint Agatha

Saint AgathaSaint Agatha of Sicily (died traditionally 251) is a Christian saint with her feastday on February 5. Agatha (Ageda in Basque) was born at Catania, Sicily, and she was martyred in approximately 251. She is one of seven women, excluding the Blessed Virgin Mary, commemorated by name in the Canon of the Mass.

She is the patron saint of Catania, Molise, Malta, San Marino and Zamarramala, Spain. Among other things, she is also the patron of martyrs, wet nurses, fire, earthquakes, and eruptions of Mount Etna.

In the legend of her life, we are told that she belonged to a rich, important family. When she was young, she dedicated her life to God and resisted any men who wanted to marry her or take her virginity. One of these men, Quintian, was of a high enough rank that he felt he could force her to acquiesce. Knowing she was a Christian in a time of persecution, he had her arrested and brought before the judge - - himself. He expected her to give in to when faced with torture and possible death, but she simply affirmed her belief in God by praying: "Jesus Christ, Lord of all, you see my heart, you know my desires. Possess all that I am. I am your sheep: make me worthy to overcome the devil."

Legend tells us that Quintian imprisoned her in a brothel in order to get her to change her mind. Quintian brought her back before him after she had suffered a month of assault and humiliation in the brothel, but Agatha had never wavered, proclaiming that her freedom came from Jesus. Quintian sent her to prison, instead of back to the brothel -- a move intended to make her more afraid, but which probably was a great relief to her. When she continued to profess her faith in Jesus, Quintian had her tortured. He refused her any medical care but God gave her all the care she needed in the form of a vision of St. Peter. When she was tortured again, she died after saying a final prayer: "Lord, my Creator, you have always protected me from the cradle; you have taken me from the love of the world and given me patience to suffer. Receive my soul."

Because one of the tortures she supposedly suffered was to have her breasts cut off, she was often depicted carrying her breasts on a plate. It is thought that blessing of the bread that takes place on her feast may have come from the mistaken notion that she was carrying loaves of bread.

Because she was asked for help during the eruption of Mount Etna she is considered a protector against the outbreak of fire. She is also considered the patroness of bell-makers for an unknown reason--though some speculate it may have something to do with the fact that bells were used as fire alarms.

Prayer:

Saint Agatha, you suffered sexual assault and indignity because of your faith.
Help heal all those who are survivors of sexual assault and protect those women who are in danger. Amen

[Online source: www.catholic.org/saints]

 

 

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