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Also known as the Greater Advent Antiphons, the O Antiphons are Magnificat antiphons used at Vespers (around sunset) of the last seven days of Advent preceding the vigil of Christmas. Each antiphon is a name of Christ, one of his attributes mentioned in Scripture. They are:
- DECEMBER 17: O Sapientia (O Wisdom)
- DECEMBER 18: O Adonai (O Lord)
- DECEMBER 19: O Radix Jesse (O Root of Jesse)
- DECEMBER 20: O Clavis David (O Key of David)
- DECEMBER 21: O Oriens (O Dayspring)
- DECEMBER 22: O Rex Gentium (O King of the Gentiles)
- DECEMBER 23: O Emmanuel (O God is with Us)
The hymn O come, O come, Emmanuel (in Latin, Veni Emmanuel) is a lyrical paraphrase of these antiphons. The first letters of the titles, read backwards, form a Latin acrostic of "Ero Cras" which translates to “Tomorrow, I will come,” mirroring the theme of the antiphons.
To pray the O Antiphons as they are prayed in the Divine Office, begin with the Antiphon, then pray the Magnificat, then repeat the Antiphon.
| Ecclus. 24:5; Wis. 8:1 |
DECEMBER 17 (Listen to the Chant!) |
| O SAPIENTIA, quae ex ore Altissimi prodiisti, attingens a fine usque ad finem, fortiter suaviterque disponens omnia: veni ad docendum nos viam prudentiae. |
O WISDOM, Which 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. |
| Ex. 3:2; 20:1 |
DECEMBER 18 (Listen to the Chant!) |
| O ADONAI, et Dux domus Israel, qui Moysi in igne flammae rubi apparuisti, et ei in Sina legem dedisti: veni ad redimendum nos in brachio extento. |
O LORD, 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. |
| Is. 11:10 |
DECEMBER 19 (Listen to the Chant!) |
| 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 ROOT of Jesse, Which standest for an ensign of the people, before Whom kings shall keep silence, Whom the Gentiles shall beseech: come and deliver us, and tarry not. |
| Is. 22:22; Apoc. 3:7; Lk. 1:79 |
DECEMBER 20 (Listen to the Chant!) |
| O CLAVIS David, et sceptrum domus Israel; qui aperis, et nemo claudit; claudis, et nemo aperit: veni, et educ vinctum de domo carceris, sedentem in tenebris, et umbra mortis. |
O KEY of David, and Scepter of the house of Israel, that openest and no man shutteth, and shuttest and no man openeth: come and bring the prisoner forth from the prison-house, and him that sitteth in darkness and in the shadow of death. |
| Ps. 106:10 |
DECEMBER 21 (Listen to the Chant!) |
| O ORIENS, splendor lucis aeternae, et sol justitiae: veni, et illumina sedentes in tenebris, et umbra mortis. |
O DAY-SPRING, Brightness of light eternal, and Sun of Justice, come and enlighten them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death. |
| Agg. 2:8; Eph. 2:14,20 |
DECEMBER 22 (Listen to the Chant!) |
| O REX Gentium, et desideratus earum, lapisque angularis, qui facis utraque unum: veni, et salva hominem, quem de limo formasti. |
O KING of the Gentiles and the desire thereof, Thou cornerstone that makest both one, come and deliver mankind, whom Thou didst form out of clay. |
| Is. 7:14; 33:22 |
DECEMBER 23 (Listen to the Chant!) |
| O EMMANUEL, Rex et legifer noster, exspectatio Gentium, et Salvator earum:veni ad salvandum nos, Domine, Deus noster. |
O EMMANUEL, our King and Law-giver, the desire of the nations and the Savior thereof, come to save us, O Lord our God. |
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