Great O Antiphons

In the days leading up to Christmas, let us take an ancient path toward celebration. Below we will introduce an old liturgical tradition in Western Christianity: a set of chants used during vespers on the days just before Christmas. These prayers provide a way to mark this transitional moment from Advent to Christmas Day.

Each day, from December 17 to December 23, a title of Christ – drawn from the Old Testament – is introduced to create a prayer. Originally written in Latin, the English text used below is from the Church of England's Common Worship liturgy.

The prayers are addressed to Christ and use a typological interpretive model of the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible.

December 17: O Sapientia (O Wisdom)

O Wisdom,
coming forth from the mouth of the Most High,
reaching from one end to the other,
mightily and sweetly ordering all things:
Come and teach us the way of prudence.

December 18: O Adonai (O Lord)

O Adonai, and leader of the House of Israel,
who appeared to Moses in the fire of the burning bush,
and gave him the law on Sinai:
Come and redeem us with an outstretched arm.

December 19: O Radix Jesse (O Root of Jesse)

O Root of Jesse,
standing as a sign among the peoples;
before you kings will shut their mouths,
to you the nations will make their prayer:
Come and deliver us, and delay no longer.

December 20: O Clavis David (O Key of David)

O Key of David and sceptre of the House of Israel;
you open and no one can shut;
you shut and no one can open:
Come and lead the prisoners from the prison house,
those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death.

December 21: O Oriens (O Dayspring)

O Morning Star,
splendour of light eternal and sun of righteousness:
Come and enlighten those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death.

December 22: O Rex Gentium (O King of the Nations)

O King of the nations, and their desire,
the cornerstone making both one:
Come and save the human race,
which you fashioned from clay.

December 23: O Emmanuel (O With Us is God)

O Emmanuel, our king and our lawgiver,
the hope of the nations and their Saviour:
Come and save us, O Lord our God.

A Benediction (Or Miscellaneous Thoughts)

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