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THE CHURCH sings this Antiphon in today’s Lauds: ANT. Ecce completa sunt omnia quæ dicta sunt per Angelum, de Virgine Maria. ANT. Lo! all things are accomplished that were said by the Angel, of the Virgin Mary. SEVENTH ANTIPHON O EMMANUEL, Rex et Legifer noster, exspectatio gentium, et salvator earum; veni ad salvandum nos, Domine Deus noster. O EMMANUEL, our King and Lawgiver, the Expectation and Savior of the nations! come and save us, O Lord our God! O Emmanuel! King of Peace! thou enterest today the city of thy predilection, the city in which thou hast placed thy...

SIXTH ANTIPHON O REX Gentium, et desideratus earum, Lapisque angularis, qui facis utraque unum; veni, et salva hominem quem de limo formasti. O KING of nations, and their Desired One, and the Corner-Stone that makest both one; come and save man whom thou formedst out of slime. O KING of Nations! thou art approaching still nigher to Bethlehem, where thou art to be born. The journey is almost over, and thy august Mother, consoled and strengthened by the dear weight she bears, holds an unceasing converse with thee on the way. She adores thy divine Majesty; she gives thanks...

FIFTH ANTIPHON O ORIENS, splendor lucis æternæ, et sol justiæ; veni et illumina sedentes in tenebris, et umbra mortis. O ORIENT! splendor of eternal light, and Sun of Justice! come and enlighten them that sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death. O JESUS, divine Sun! thou art coming to snatch us from eternal night: blessed forever be thy infinite goodness! But thou puttest our faith to the test, before showing thyself in all thy brightness. Thou hidest thy rays, until the time decreed by thy heavenly Father comes, in which all thy beauty will break upon the...

FOURTH ANTIPHON O CLAVIS David et Sceptrum domus Israël, 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! who openest, and no man shutteth: who shuttest, and no man openeth; come and lead the captive from prison, sitting in darkness and in the shadow of death. O JESUS, Son of David! heir to his throne and his power! thou art now passing over, in thy way to Bethlehem, the land that once was the kingdom...

THIRD ANTIPHON O RADIX Jesse, qui stas in signum populorum, super quem continebunt reges o ssuum, quem gentes deprecabuntur: veni ad liberandum nos, jam noli tardare. O ROOT of Jesse, who standest as the standard of the people; before whom Kings shall not open their lips; to whom the nations shall pray: come and deliver us; tarry now no more. AT LENGTH, O Son of Jesse! thou art approaching the city of thy ancestors. The Ark of the Lord has risen, and journeys, with the God that is in her, to the place of her rest. “How beautiful are...

SECOND ANTIPHON O ADONAI, et dux domus Israël, qui Moysi in igne flammæ rubi apparuisti, et ei in Sina legem dedisti; veni ad redimendum nos in brachio extenso. O ADONAI, and leader of the house of Israel, who appearedst to Moses in the fire of the flaming bush, and gavest to him the law on Sinai; come and redeem us by thy outstretched arm. O SOVEREIGN LORD! O Adonai! come and redeem us, not by thy power, but by thy humility. Heretofore, thou didst show thy self to Moses thy servant in the midst of a mysterious flame; thou...

Praying the O Antiphons: An Ancient Advent Tradition December 16, 2016 By Gretchen Filz During the final days of Advent, the anticipation increases as the birth of the Savior draws nearer and nearer. In the eight days before Christmas this anticipation is marked by something special that happens in the prayers of the Liturgy of the Hours. The antiphons of Evening Prayer (Vespers) during the week before Christmas welcome the birth of the Savior by heralding one of His resplendent Biblical titles along with a special petition in light of that title.It is a liturgical tradition started in the...

The Roman Catholic Lectionary Website compiled by Felix Just, S.J., Ph.D. "O Antiphons" for the Week before ChristmasIntroduction: Most familiar today from the Advent hymn, "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel," the seven traditional "O Antiphons" are actually more than a thousand years old. They have long been used at the very end of Advent (Dec. 17-23) in the liturgical prayer of the Church, as Antiphons for the "Magnificat" sung or recited during Vespers (the Evening Prayer of the Liturgy of the Hours). Since the Second Vatican Council, they have also been adapted (slightly reworded and rearranged) for the "Alleluia...

FR. WILLIAM SAUNDERS What are the "O Antiphons"? The O Antiphons refer to the seven antiphons that are recited (or chanted) preceding the Magnificat during Vespers of the Liturgy of the Hours. They cover the special period of Advent preparation known as the Octave before Christmas, Dec. 17-23, with Dec. 24 being Christmas Eve and Vespers for that evening being for the Christmas Vigil. The exact origin of the O Antiphons is not known. Boethius (c. 480-524) made a slight reference to them, thereby suggesting their presence at that time. At the Benedictine abbey of Fleury (now Saint-Benoit-sur-Loire), these antiphons...

O Antiphons – A Devotional Meditation Msgr. Charles Pope • December 6, 2015 • The Catholic Church has been singing the “O Antiphons" since about the 8th century. They were first composed as antiphons to accompany the singing of the Magnificat in Vespers of the Divine Office. They were composed for the last week of Advent, December 17th -- 23rd.They are a compact and beautiful theology that draws on biblical themes of the Old Testament. As such, they proclaim the coming Christ as the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies and hopes. They also express current longings rooted in those themes....

While the world has already been celebrating a very secular "christmas" since before the Thanksgiving holiday, Christians ought not get caught up in the emptiness of it all.  Easter is now about bunnies and Christmas about buying and giving extravagant, and sometimes mountains of gifts for others.  Some will give to God what little time is left over, and other believers will give Him virtually not time at all.  Wtihin moderation, there is nothing wrong with gift giving.  But that should come secondary to something else.....  We must all ask ourselves if the practice of our faith revolves around our lives or...

"O Antiphons" for the Week before ChristmasIntroduction: Most familiar today from the Advent hymn, "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel," the seven traditional "O Antiphons" are actually more than a thousand years old. They have long been used at the very end of Advent (Dec. 17-23) in the liturgical prayer of the Church, as Antiphons for the "Magnificat" sung or recited during Vespers (the Evening Prayer of the Liturgy of the Hours). Since the Second Vatican Council, they have also been adapted (slightly reworded and rearranged) for the "Alleluia Verse" of the Mass (the short scriptural text or paraphrase that immediately...

The Great Antiphons The public prayers of the Church consist not only of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass but also of the Divine Office, the prayers of the priets' Breviary. The Office was at one time chanted daily by the faithful, and is still chanted by some religious Orders. Certain parishes are reviving the custom of having Solemn Vespers on the eve or afternoon of major feasts. The Magnificat or Canticle of the Blessed Virgin Mary is chanted near the end of Vespers. Starting on December 17 a series of Antiphons are added to Vespers before and after the...