The Greater Antiphons

As must be known by now, I'm fascinated by liturgy.  Each part of the year in the Church has its own special prayers.  I've talked about the Divine Office, the official prayer of the Church, prayed by religious and lay people alike.

During Advent, as we prepare for the First Coming of Christ, there are certain antiphons chanted at Vespers called the "Greater Antiphons," or the "Great Os."  An antiphon is a prayer chanted "antiphonally," or one  verse, chanted by one side and the next chanted by the other.  The word comes from "antiphona," both Greek and Latin, anti (in return) and phon-e (voice or sound). 

The antiphons are chanted before or after a psalm.  From December 17 to December 23 there are seven "Great Os." As we get closer to Christmas and the Birth of Our Lord, we become impatient. There is a gradation of anticipation, shown by the antiphons, appealing to the Messiah.

Dec. 17, O Sapientia  (Ecclesiasticus 24, 5; Wisdom 8, 1)  O Wisdom, who camest out of the mouth of the Most High, reaching from end to end and ordering all things mightily and sweetly:      come and teach us the way of prudence.

Dec. 18, O Adonai  (Exodus 3. 2, 20, 1)     O Adonai, and Leader of the house of Israel, who didst appear to Moses in the flame of the burning bush, and didst give unto him the law on Sinai:       come and with an outstretched arm redeem us.

Dec. 19, O Radix Jesse  (Isaias 11. 10)  O Root of Jesse, who standest for an ensign of the people, before whom kings shall keep silence, and unto whom the Gentiles shall make their supplication:     come to deliver us, and tarry not.     (We ask Him now to hurry).

Dec. 20: O Clavis David (Isaias 22, 22; Apocalypse 3, 7; Luke 1. 79)  O Key of David, and Sceptre of the house of Israel, who openest and no man shutteth, who shuttest and no man openeth:     come and bring forth  from his prison-house, the captive that sitteth in darkness and in the shadow of death.   (We ask for our redemption).
Deus, in adjutorium meum intende. Domine, ad adjuvandum me festina.
O God, come to my assistance. O Lord, make haste to help me.

Dec. 21: O Oriens  (Psalm 106. 10)  O Dawn of the East, brightness of the light eternal, and Sun of Justice:  come and enlighten them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death.    (Give us understanding of the importance of the coming).

Dec. 22: O Rex Gentium (Aggeus 2, 8; Ephesians 2. 14, 20)  O King of the Gentiles and the desired of them, Thou cornerstone that makest both one:      come and deliver man, whom Thou didst form out of the dust of the earth.  (Deliver all mankind from sin and grant salvation to your creatures).

Dec. 23: O Emmanuel( Isaias 7, 14; 33, 22)  O Emmanuel, our King and Lawgiver, the expected of the nations and their Saviour:     come to save us, O Lord our God.   (The final plea, in expectation and urgency).


During Advent, on all pages of the Divine Office and the Missal, hymns, choice of psalms, preaching of the Old Testament prophets, the admonishment to "make straight the way of the Lord," all show us the necessity to prepare our souls. The Epistles in the Masses for the four Sundays of Advent are all from St. Paul,telling us to prepare ourselves and, as St. John the Baptist said, "to prepare the way of the Lord."

We have omitted the "Gloria", said or sung for most of the year, during Mass for Advent, as for Lent.  It is resumed at the first Mass of Christmas, the Midnight Mass, proclaiming: Gloria in excelsis Deo et in terra pax hominibus bonae voluntatis. Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to men of good will.  It is a beautiful prayer and even more beautiful when chanted or sung in a polyphonic Mass.  I may devote a blog just to that prayer.

Meanwhile, anticipate with fervor, a repentent heart, and with great joy, the coming of Christ at Christmas.

12/12/11