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The Great O Antiphons

The ‘O Antiphons’ refer to the seven antiphons that are recited before the Magnificat during Evening Prayer in the Octave before Christmas, 17th to 23rd December. 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 were recited by the Abbot and other monks in descending rank, and then a gift was given to each member of the community. By the eighth century, they are in use in the liturgical celebrations in Rome. The usage of the ‘O Antiphons’ was so prevalent in monasteries that the phrases, ‘Keep your O’ and ‘The Great O Antiphons’ were common parlance. One may thereby conclude that in some fashion the ‘O Antiphons’ have been part of our liturgical tradition since the very early Church.   
 
The importance of the ‘O Antiphons’ is twofold: each one highlights a title for the Messiah: O Sapientia (O Wisdom), O Adonai (O Lord), O Radix Jesse (O Root of Jesse), O Clavis David (O Key of David), O Oriens (O Rising Sun), O Rex Gentium (O King of the Nations), and O Emmanuel. Also, each one refers to the prophecy of Isaiah of the coming of the Messiah.

Here are the antiphons, with just a sample of Isaiah’s related prophecies:

December 17th | O Sapientia

O Wisdom, you came forth from the mouth of the Most High, and reaching from beginning to end, you ordered all things mightily and sweetly. Come and teach us the way of prudence.
Isaiah had prophesied, ‘The spirit of the Lord shall rest on him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. His delight shall be in the fear of the Lord.’ (11. 2-3), and ‘Wonderful is his counsel and great is his wisdom.’ (28. 29)

December 18th | O Adonai

O Adonai and Ruler of the house of Israel, you appeared to Moses in the fire of the burning bush, and on Mount Sinai gave him your Law: Come, and with an outstretched arm redeem us!
Isaiah had prophesied, ‘But with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked. Righteousness shall be the belt around his waist, and faithfulness the belt around his loins.’ (11. 4-5); and ‘Indeed the Lord will be there with us, majestic; yes the Lord our judge, the Lord our lawgiver, the Lord our king, he it is who will save us.’ (33. 22)

December 19th O Radix Jesse

O Root of Jesse, You stand for an ensign of mankind; before You kings shall keep silence, and to You all nations shall have recourse. Come and save us and do not delay.
Isaiah had prophesied, ‘But a shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse, and from his roots a bud shall blossom.’ (11. 1), and ‘On that day, the root of Jesse, set up as a signal for the nations, the Gentiles shall seek out, for his dwelling shall be glorious.’ (11. 10). Remember also that Jesse was the father of King David, and Micah had prophesied that the Messiah would be of the house and lineage of David and be born in David’s city, Bethlehem (Micah 5. 1)

December 20th | O Clavis David

O Key of David and Scepter of the house of Israel: You open and none may close, You close and none may open. Come and deliver from the chains of prison those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death.
Isaiah had prophesied, ‘I will place the Key of the House of David on his shoulder; when he opens, no one will shut, when he shuts, no one will open.’ (22. 22), and ‘His dominion is vast and forever peaceful, from David’s throne, and over his kingdom, which he confirms and sustains by judgment and justice, both now and forever.’ (9. 6)

December 21st | O Oriens

O Dayspring, Radiance of the Light eternal and Sun of Justice; come and enlighten those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death.
Isaiah had prophesied, ‘The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom a light has shown.’
(9. 1)

December 22nd | O Rex Gentium

O King of the nations and Desired of all, you are the cornerstone that binds two into one: Come, and save humankind whom you formed out of clay.
Isaiah had prophesied, ‘For to us a child is been born, to us a son is given; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.  His authority shall grow continually, and there shall be endless peace for the throne of David and his kingdom.  He will establish and uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time onwards and for evermore.

The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.’ (9. 6-7), and ‘He shall judge between the nations, and impose terms on many peoples. They shall beat their swords into ploughshares and their spears into pruning hooks; one nation shall not raise the sword against another, nor shall they train for war again.’ (2. 4)

December 23rd | O Emmanuel

O Emmanuel, our King and Lawgiver, the Expected of Nations and their Saviour: come, and save us, O Lord our God!
Isaiah had prophesied, ‘The Lord himself will give you this sign: the Virgin shall be with child, and bear a son, and shall name him Emmanuel.’ (7. 14). Remember ‘Emmanuel’ means ‘God is with us.’
According to Professor Robert Greenberg of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, the Benedictine monks arranged these antiphons with a definite purpose.  If one starts with the last title and takes the first letter of each one - Emmanuel, Rex, Oriens, Clavis, Radix, Adonai, Sapientia - the Latin words ero cras are formed, meaning, ‘Tomorrow, I will come.’  Therefore, the Lord Jesus, whose coming we have prepared for in Advent and whom we have addressed in these seven Messianic titles, now speaks to us, ‘Tomorrow, I will come.’  So the ‘O Antiphons’ not only bring intensity to our Advent preparation, but bring it to a joyful conclusion.