PRAY THE O ANTIPHONS

Listed below are the O Antiphons, which are prayed before and after the Magnificat during Vespers (Evening Prayer) of the Liturgy of the Hours. I encourage you to make a new tradition this year to pray these antiphons on the eight nights before Christmas to help you welcome the newborn King. You can pray them by themselves if you are short on time, or pray them in their context of Evening Prayer. You can pray along with the Divine Office daily by signing up for our Morning Offering Daily Devotional Email.

O Wisdom

O Wisdom, O holy Word of God,

you govern all creation with your strong yet tender care: Come and show your people the way to salvation.

(December 17)

Latin

O Sapientia,

quae ex ore Altissimi prodiisti, attingens a fine usque ad finem fortiter, suaviterque disponens omnia: veni ad docendum nos viam prudentiae.

O Lord of Israel

O Sacred Lord of ancient Israel,

who showed yourself to Moses in the burning bush, who gave him the holy law on Sinai mountain: Come, stretch out your mighty hand to set us free.

(December 18)

Latin

O Adonai,

et dux domus Israël, qui Moyse in igne flammae rubi apparuisti, et ei in Sina legem dedisti: veni ad redimendum nos in brachio extento.

O Root of Jesse

O Root of Jesse,

you have been raised up as a sign for all peoples; kings stand silent in your presence; the nations bow down in worship before you. Come, let nothing keep you from coming to our aid.

(December 19)

Latin

O Radix Jesse,

qui stas in signum populorum, super quem continebunt reges os suum, quem gentes deprecabuntur: veni ad liberandum nos, jam noli tardare.

O Key of David

O Key of David, O royal Power of Israel,

controlling at your will the gate of heaven: Come, break down the prison walls of death for those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death; and lead your captive people into freedom.

(December 20)

Latin

O Clavis David,

et sceptrum domus Israël, qui aperis, et nemo claudit, claudis, et nemo aperuit: veni, et educ vinctum de domo carceris, sedentem in tenebris, et umbra mortis.

O Radiant Dawn

O Radiant Dawn, splendor of eternal light, sun of justice:

Come, shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death.

(December 21)

Latin

O Oriens,

splendor lucis aeternae, et sol justitiae: veni, et illumina sedentes in tenebris, et umbra mortis.

O King of All Nations

O King of all the nations, the only joy of every human heart;

O Keystone of the mighty arch of man: Come and save the creature you fashioned from the dust.

(December 22)

Latin

O Rex Gentium,

et desideratus earum, lapisque angularis, qui facis utraque unum: veni, et salva hominem, quem de limo formasti.

O Emmanuel

O Emmanuel, king and lawgiver,

desire of the nations, Savior of all people: Come and set us free, Lord our God.

(December 23)

Latin

O Emmanuel,

Rex et legifer noster, expectatio gentium, et Salvator earum: veni ad salvandum nos, Domine, Deus noster.

“ O” antiphons history & notes

Let’s simply begin with the fact that something wonderful is happening. Our Salvation, God’s Word made Flesh in Jesus Christ. The celebration of the Antiphons are the celebration of the “Titles of Jesus, Prophetic titles/messianic titles. Flowing from Holy Scripture/mainly the Old Testament.

The atmosphere or the ambience in which we find them is that a Child is Born. A child opening a gift on Christmas morning brings Joy to his/her face and to those watching a child opens a gift. It is an AWE/AWESOME EXPERIENCE. Therefore, the “O” is there expressing delight.

Christians delight in the “fact of our Salvation” God with us.

History: The Eighth O Antiphon “O Virgo Virginum.”

The traditional seven 'O' Antiphons of the last week of Advent are a journey with the Prophet Isaiah and others, telling the story of the coming of the Christ from Creation to Bethlehem. For us in the Northern Hemisphere it is also a transition in two ways, firstly in liturgical terms from the glimmer of light as life began, to the rising of the Sun that never sets. It also comes at that point when the year turns, the darkest shortest day and longest night, the winter solstice takes place during this week. We have yet to face deep winter but the light is coming, alongside the cold days to come, a flash of sunlit hope appears.

That then is our journey of the seven antiphons, but there were others. They came later and appear as part of the rich varied tapestry of developments fitting for one age, but perhaps not the next. One such extra O still remains in two living liturgical traditions. Unlike the more ancient seven, this one 'O Virgo Virginum' is all about Mary, the Mother of Jesus, she who conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit.

This antiphon has no connection with Isaiah, instead the words take the form of a short dialogue between Mary and the women of Jerusalem. This has echoes both of the poetic interplay between the daughters of Jerusalem and the woman in the Song of Songs and the Crucifixion narrative in Luke 23.28 where the women of Jerusalem are told by Jesus not to weep for him!

Nobody is certain when it was introduced, possibly by Amalarius of Metz in the 9th Century. Because England had a profound devotion to Mother of God by Anglo Saxon times, it is unsurprising that this 'O' was found in several English liturgical rites; Hereford, York and Sarum where it occurred on the 23rd December, O Sapientia then being moved to the 16th! The other rite in which it occurs is that of the Premonstratensian Order of Canons Regular, founded in 1120 by St Norbert, who early on developed a particular devotion to the Virgin Mary .

Whatever its history it seems a fitting way in which we come before that raw but profound moment of mystery and wonder, with Mary as she gives birth to her first born, Jesus! All we can do is let go of our questions and problems, placing our hopes, needs and wishes with her at the side of Christ, trusting in the power of intercession beyond all words. Her song, which always accompanies these antiphons sums up our prayers on the eve of the Nativity: 'For the Mighty One has done great things for me-holy is his name. His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation'.( Lk 1.49)

imagePope Julius 1, in 4th century set the date for Christmas.

Benedictines in the 6th century began putting these titles together and singing them at Vespers the antiphon before the Magnificat and latter on the Church embraced them into the Alleluia versicals before the Gospel reading.

In the Winter there were civil and pagan celebrations of the Sun refered to as Sarcore in order to transform this time for Christians the Octave of Christmas was developed.

Some genius Benedictine working with the O antiphon took the first letter of starting from the last O Antiphon and created the

Acrostic (Ero Cras)

‘TOMORROW I WILL BE WITH YOU’

And then a medieval practice arose of moving the Antiphons forward by one day Starting on the 16 of December with the acrostic this becoming VERO CRAS. MEANING, TRULY, TOMORROW….

The New Antiphon is “O Virgo Virginum.

O virgo virginum, quomodo fiet istud? Quia nec primam simile visa es nec habere sequentem. Filliae Jerusalem, quid me admiramini? Divinum est mysterium hoc quod cernitis. In English: O virgin of virgins, how shall this be? For neither before thee, was only like thee, nor shall there be after. Daughters of Jerusalem, why marvel at me? The thing which ye behold is a divine mystery. “O Wisdom”/Sapiencia…Isaish 28:29 OLord/ OAdonai…Isaiah 33:22 Root of Jesse…Isaiah 11:1-10 Key of David…Is. 22 Rev. 3: 7 Anointing/Closing and opening of doors. O Rising Star/O Oriens Is.9:2 Malachi 4:2 O king of the Nations:O Rex Gentium Is:2-4 9/6 O God with us/O Emmanuel Is.7:14