# O Antiphons
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{{Short description|Christian short chant}}
{{Redirect|O Emmanuel|the Adventide album |O Emmanuel (album)}}
[[File:O antienne Clavis.png|thumb|The antiphon ''O clavis David'' in an [antiphonal](/source/antiphonal)]]
The '''O Antiphons''' (also known as the '''Great Advent Antiphons''' or '''Great Os''') are [antiphon](/source/antiphon)s used at [Vespers](/source/Vespers) during the [Magnificat](/source/Magnificat) on the last seven days of [Advent](/source/Advent) in [Western Christian](/source/Western_Christianity) traditions.[{{Cite journal| issn = 0075-2681| volume = 37| pages = 9–34| last = Ballhorn| first = Egbert| title = Die O-Antiphonen: Israelgebet der Kirche| journal = Jahrbuch für Liturgik und Hymnologie| date = 1998| jstor = 24200651}}] They likely date to sixth-century Italy, when [Boethius](/source/Boethius) refers to the text in ''[The Consolation of Philosophy](/source/The_Consolation_of_Philosophy)''.[{{Cite journal| doi = 10.2307/2856875| issn = 0038-7134| volume = 22| issue = 3| pages = 440–442| last = Cabaniss| first = J. Allen| title = A Note on the Date of the Great Advent Antiphons| journal = Speculum| date = 1947| jstor = 2856875| s2cid = 163096681}}] They subsequently became one of the key musical features of the days leading up to [Christmas](/source/Christmas).[{{Cite journal| doi = 10.2307/1454108| issn = 0021-6682| volume = 66| issue = 1| pages = 39–56| last = Cabaniss| first = Allen| title = A Jewish Provenience of the Advent Antiphons?| journal = The Jewish Quarterly Review| date = 1975| jstor = 1454108}}]
In the [English-speaking world](/source/English-speaking_world) they are best known in their amalgamated form as the 18th-century hymn "[O Come, O Come, Emmanuel](/source/O_Come%2C_O_Come%2C_Emmanuel)".
==Sequence==
Each text, in the original Latin, begins with the [vocative](/source/vocative) [particle](/source/Grammatical_particle) "O". Each antiphon is a title of Christ, one of his attributes mentioned in Scripture. They are:
* 17 December: ''O Sapientia'' (O [Wisdom](/source/Wisdom))
* 18 December: ''O [Adonai](/source/Adonai)''
* 19 December: ''O Radix Jesse'' (O [Root of Jesse](/source/Tree_of_Jesse))
* 20 December: ''O Clavis David'' (O Key of [David](/source/David))
* 21 December: ''O Oriens'' (O Dawn of the East)
* 22 December: ''O Rex Gentium'' (O King of the Nations)
* 23 December: ''O [Emmanuel](/source/Immanuel)''
In the [Roman rite](/source/Roman_rite), the O Antiphons are sung or recited for the [Magnificat](/source/Magnificat) at [Vespers](/source/Vespers) from 17 December to 23 December.
==Origin==
The antiphon texts are believed to have originated in Italy in or before the sixth century.[{{bibleverse|Wisdom|8:1}}] but the precise phrasing almost certainly refers to ''O sapientia''.[{{cite CE1913|wstitle= O Antiphons |volume= 11 |last= Henry |first= Hugh Thomas |short=1}}]
==Analysis==
Each antiphon has the following structure:
* a Messianic title preceded by "O". Example: "O Wisdom"
* elaboration of the title: "coming forth from the mouth of the Most High, reaching from one end to the other, mightily and sweetly ordering all things"
* the verb "come"
* elaboration of the request to come: "and teach us the way of prudence."
Below is the traditional Latin text of each antiphon, as well as the English text from the Church of England's ''Common Worship'' liturgy.
Each antiphon is a [cento](/source/Cento_(poetry)) of passages from the Bible. In the text of each antiphon below, the passages from the Bible are indicated by underlining, and the quotation in the footnote is from the [Vulgate](/source/Vulgate) (for Latin passages) or (for English passages) the [NRSV](/source/New_Revised_Standard_Version) unless indicated otherwise.
===''O Sapientia''===
Source:[{{YouTube|id=S6zaiZxJIpU|title=The Great antiphon for 17 December sung by the Dominican student brothers at Blackfriars in Oxford}}]
thumb|''O Sapientia'', the first great antiphon of Advent
{{Verse translation|lang=la|'''Latin''':
O Sapientia,
quae ex ore Altissimi prodiisti,["ego ex ore Altissimi prodivi" (Sirach 24:5)]
attingens a fine usque ad finem,
fortiter suaviterque disponens omnia:["[Sapientia] attingit a fine usque ad finem fortiter, et disponit omnia suaviter" (Wisdom 8:1)]
veni ad docendum nos viam prudentiae.["Relinquite infantiam, et vivite, et ambulate per vias prudentiae" (Proverbs 9:6)]
|'''English (Anglican)''':
O Wisdom,
coming forth from the mouth of the Most High,["I came forth from the mouth of the Most High" (Sirach 24:3)]
reaching from one end to the other,
mightily and sweetly ordering all things:["[Wisdom] reaches mightily from one end of the earth to the other, and she orders all things well" (Wisdom 8:1)]
Come and teach us the way of prudence.["Forsake childishness, and live, and walk by the ways of prudence" (Proverbs 9:6, [Douay-Rheims](/source/Douay-Rheims), following the Vulgate)]}}
===''O Adonai''===
{{Verse translation|lang=la|
'''Latin''':
O Adonai,["Ego Dominus qui apparui Abraham, Isaac et Jacob in Deo omnipotente: et nomen meum Adonai non indicavi eis" (Exodus 6:2-3)] et Dux domus Israel,["dux in populo Israel" (2 Chronicles 6:5)]
qui Moysi in igne flammae rubi apparuisti,["apparuit ei Dominus in flamma ignis de medio rubi" (Exodus 3:2)]
et ei in Sina legem dedisti:["Haec sunt praecepta, quae mandavit Dominus Moysi ad filios Israel in monte Sinai" (Leviticus 27:34)]
veni ad redimendum nos in brachio extento.["redimam in brachio excelso" (Exodus 6:6)]
|'''English (Anglican)''':
O Adonai,["I am the Lord. I appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as God Almighty ''(El Shaddai)'', but by my name ‘The Lord’ ''(Adonai)'' I did not make myself known to them" (Exodus 6:2-3)] and leader of the House of Israel,["the leader over my people Israel" (2 Chronicles 6:5)]
who appeared to Moses in the fire of the burning bush,["The angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of a bush" (Exodus 3:2)]
and gave him the law on Sinai:["These are the commandments that the Lord gave to Moses for the people of Israel on Mount Sinai" (Leviticus 27:34)]
Come and redeem us with an outstretched arm.["I will redeem you with an outstretched arm" (Exodus 6:6)]}}
===''O Radix Jesse''===
{{Verse translation|lang=la|
'''Latin''':
O radix Jesse,
qui stas in signum populorum,["Radix Jesse, qui stat in signum populorum" (Isaiah 11:10)]
super quem continebunt reges os suum,["super ipsum continebunt reges os suum" (Isaiah 52:15)]
quem Gentes deprecabuntur:["ipsum gentes deprecabuntur" (Isaiah 11:10)]
veni ad liberandum nos, jam noli tardare.
|'''English (Anglican)''':
O Root of Jesse,
standing as a sign among the peoples;["the Root of Jesse shall stand as a signal to the peoples" (Isaiah 11:10)]
before you kings will shut their mouths,["kings shall shut their mouths because of him" (Isaiah 52:15)]
to you the nations will make their prayer:["him the Gentiles shall beseech" (Isaiah 11:10, [Douay-Rheims](/source/Douay-Rheims), following the Vulgate)]
Come and deliver us, and delay no longer.}}
===''O Clavis David''===
{{Verse translation|lang=la|
'''Latin''':
O Clavis David,["dabo clavem domus David super humerum ejus" ("Isaiah 22:22)] et sceptrum domus Israel;
qui aperis, et nemo claudit;
claudis, et nemo aperit:["aperiet et non erit qui claudat, claudet et non erit qui aperiat" (Isaiah 22:22)]
veni, et educ vinctum de domo carceris,["ut educeres de conclusione vinctum" (Isaiah 42:7)]
sedentem in tenebris et umbra mortis.["qui in tenebris et in umbra mortis sedent" (Luke 1:79)]
|'''English (Anglican)''':
O Key of David["I will place on his shoulder the key of the house of David" ("Isaiah 22:22)] and sceptre of the House of Israel;
you open and no one can shut;
you shut and no one can open:["he shall open and no one shall shut; he shall shut and no one shall open" (Isaiah 22:22)]
Come and lead the prisoners from the prison house,["to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon" (Isaiah 42:7)]
those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death.["those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death"(Luke 1:79)]}}
===''O Oriens''===
{{Verse translation|lang=la|'''Latin''':
O Oriens,["Oriens ex alto" (Lk 1:78)]
splendor lucis aeternae,["candor est enim lucis aeternae" (Wisdom 7:26)] et sol justitiae:["orietur sol justitiae" (Mal 4:2 (Hebrew 3:20))]
veni, et illumina sedentes in tenebris, et umbra mortis.["illuminare his qui in tenebris et in umbra mortis sedent" (Luke 1:79)]
|'''English (Anglican)''':
O Morning Star,["the dawn from on high" (Lk 1:78)]
splendour of light eternal["[Wisdom] is the brightness of eternal light" (Wisdom 7:26, [Douay-Rheims](/source/Douay-Rheims), following the Vulgate)"] and sun of righteousness:["the sun of righteousness shall rise" (Mal 4:2 (Hebrew 3:20))]
Come and enlighten those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death.["to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death" (Luke 1:79)]}}
===''O Rex gentium''===
{{Verse translation|lang=la|'''Latin''':
O Rex Gentium,["Quis non timebit te, o Rex gentium?" (Jer 10:7)] et desideratus earum,["veniet desideratus cunctis gentibus" (Haggai 2:8)]
lapisque angularis,["Ecce ego mittam in fundamentis Sion lapidem, lapidem probatum, angularem, pretiosum, in fundamento fundatum" (Is 28:16)] qui facis utraque unum:["fecit utraque unum" (Ephesians 2:14)]
veni, et salva hominem,
quem de limo formasti.["formavit hominem de limo terrae" (Genesis 2:7)]
|'''English (Anglican)''':
O King of the nations,["Who would not fear you, O king of the nations?" (Jer 10:7)] and their desire,["the desired of all nations shall come" (Haggai 2:8, [Douay-Rheims](/source/Douay-Rheims), following the Vulgate)]
the cornerstone["See, I am laying in Zion a foundation stone, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation" (Is 28:16)] making both one:["he has made both groups into one" (Ephesians 2:14)]
Come and save the human race,
which you fashioned from clay.["formed man from the dust of the ground" (Genesis 2:7)]}}
===''O Emmanuel''===
{{Verse translation|lang=la|'''Latin''':
O Emmanuel,["ecce virgo concipiet, et pariet filium, et vocabitur nomen ejus Emmanuel" (Isaiah 7:14)] Rex et legifer noster,["Dominus legifer noster, Dominus rex noster" (Isaiah 33:22)]
exspectatio Gentium,["ipse erit expectatio gentium" (Genesis 49:10)] et Salvator earum:["speramus in Deum vivum, qui est Salvator omnium hominum" (1 Tim 4:10)]
veni ad salvandum nos, Domine, Deus noster.
|'''English (Anglican)''':
O Emmanuel,["Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel" (Isaiah 7:14)] our king and our lawgiver,["The Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our king" (Isaiah 33:22, [Douay-Rheims](/source/Douay-Rheims), following the Vulgate)]
the hope of the nations["he shall be the expectation of nations" (Genesis 49:10, [Douay-Rheims](/source/Douay-Rheims), following the Vulgate)] and their Saviour:["we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Saviour of all people" (1 Tim 4:10)]
Come and save us, O Lord our God.}}
==Other Antiphons==
thumb|O antiphons in the Poissy Antiphonal, folio 30v
In addition to the seven antiphons above, a number of other O antiphons have been in use over the centuries in different churches: “O Virgo virginum”, "O Gabriel, nuntius cœlorum", "O Thoma Didyme", “O Rex pacifice”, "O Mundi Domina", “O Hierusalem”, "O sancte sanctorum", “O pastor Israel”. The [Parisian Rite](/source/Parisian_Rite) had 9 antiphons beginning on December 15, and some other churches had 12 antiphons.[ A feature of these is that most of them were not addressed to the Messiah. And they were independent of each other, unlike the seven O antiphons described above that formed a self-contained group (as can be seen from the acrostic ''Ero cras'').
An English medieval practice was to add an eighth antiphon – ''O Virgo virginum'' – on December 23, and move the others back one day, thus beginning the series on 16 December. The acrostic then became ''Vero cras'' ("Truly, tomorrow").
{{Verse translation|lang=la|'''Latin''':
O Virgo virginum, quomodo fiet istud?
Quia nec primam similem visa es nec habere sequentem.
Filiae Jerusalem, quid me admiramini?
Divinum est mysterium hoc quod cernitis.
|'''English (Anglican)''':
O Virgin of virgins, how shall this be?
For neither before thee was any like thee, nor shall there be after.
Daughters of Jerusalem, why marvel ye at me?
The thing which ye behold is a divine mystery.}}
Given the English origins of this alternative, it has traditionally been the version used in the [Church of England](/source/Church_of_England) (including [Canterbury Cathedral](/source/Canterbury_Cathedral)) until recent times, and is the version printed in traditional Church of England liturgical sources including ''[The English Hymnal](/source/The_English_Hymnal)'' (1906) and ''[The New English Hymnal](/source/The_New_English_Hymnal)'' (1986). From 2000, however, the Church of England appears to have taken an official step away from English medieval practice towards the more widely spread custom, as ''[Common Worship](/source/Common_Worship)'' makes provision for the sevenfold version of the antiphons, and not the eightfold version.][Common Worship: Daily Prayer, Church House Publishing, 2005, {{ISBN|978-0-7151-2073-6}}, page 211.]
The chant repertory knows also other antiphons built using the musical model of O antiphons, but not related to the Advent season - ''O doctor optime'' ([Common](/source/Common_(liturgy)) of [Doctors of the church](/source/Doctor_of_the_Church)), ''O Rex gloriae'' ([Ascension](/source/Feast_of_the_Ascension)).
==Current practice==
In the Catholic Church, the seven standard O antiphons continue to serve as Magnificat antiphons at [Vespers](/source/Vespers) from 17 to 23 December. Since the liturgical reforms following Vatican II, they are also used as the [Alleluia verses](/source/Alleluia) for Mass in the [Ordinary Form](/source/Mass_of_Paul_VI) on the same days. For the Alleluia verses, the [Lectionary](/source/Lectionary) moves ''O Emmanuel'' to the 21st,[Lectionary 197] uses ''Rex Gentium'' on both the 22nd[Lectionary 198] and 23rd,[Lectionary 199] and places ''O Oriens'' on the morning of the 24th,[Lectionary 200] but the traditional ordering from the 17th through the 23rd is also permitted.[[Divine Worship: The Missal](/source/Divine_Worship%3A_The_Missal) pp. 162-163] and Alleluia Verse at Mass, either in the traditional order as indicated in ''Divine Worship: The Missal'' or in the order indicated in the Lectionary,[[Divine Worship: The Missal](/source/Divine_Worship%3A_The_Missal) p. 123] but also use ''O Virgo virginum'' on the morning of 24 December, both as the [Benedictus](/source/Benedictus_(canticle)) antiphon at morning prayer and as the Alleluia verse at Mass.[[Divine Worship: The Missal](/source/Divine_Worship%3A_The_Missal) pp. 166-181]
Some Anglican churches, such as the [Church of England](/source/Church_of_England), use the O Antiphons at [evensong](/source/evensong); often according to medieval English usage, beginning on 16 December.
In 1986, [St. Mark's Episcopal Cathedral, Seattle](/source/St._Mark's_Episcopal_Cathedral%2C_Seattle) conceived a special Advent liturgy using the O Antiphons, which has remained in practice every year since.[{{cite web | title=O Antiphons - Saint Mark's Episcopal Cathedral | date=9 October 2024 | url=https://saintmarks.org/worship/o-antiphons/ }}]
Use of the O Antiphons also occurs in many [Lutheran](/source/Lutheran) churches. For example, an English translation of "The Great O Antiphons" appears with the hymn ''O Come, O Come, Emmanuel'' in the [Lutheran Service Book](/source/Lutheran_Service_Book) . In the [Book of Common Worship](/source/The_Book_of_Common_Worship_of_1993) published by the [Presbyterian Church (USA)](/source/Presbyterian_Church_(USA)), the antiphons can be read as a praise litany at Morning or Evening Prayer.[{{Cite book |last=Bower |first=Peter C. |title=The companion to the Book of Common Worship |publisher=Geneva Press |year=2003 |isbn=978-0664502324 |page=100}}]
==Musical settings==
[[File:E-codices bke-0103 079r large (1).jpg|thumb|O antiphons in a thirteenth-century [breviary](/source/breviary)]]
* [Carlo Gesualdo](/source/Carlo_Gesualdo), ''Ô Oriens'' (1603).
* [Jean-Baptiste Geoffroy](/source/Jean-Baptiste_Geoffroy), ''Les Antiennes Ô de l'Avent'', with [basso continuo](/source/basso_continuo).
* [Marc-Antoine Charpentier](/source/Marc-Antoine_Charpentier), ''7 Antiennes Ô'', H 36–43, completed in the early 1690s.
* [Louis Nicolas Clérambault](/source/Louis-Nicolas_Cl%C3%A9rambault), 7 Antiennes Ô C.221–227 (1700).
* {{ill|Louis Charles Grénon|fr|Louis Grénon}}, ''7 Antiennes Ô'' (1766).
* [Ralph Vaughan Williams](/source/Ralph_Vaughan_Williams), [plainsong](/source/plainsong) setting in English, published in [The English Hymnal](/source/The_English_Hymnal).
* [Herman Strategier](/source/Herman_Strategier), [Dutch](/source/Netherlands) composer and organist, ''Cantica pro tempore natali'' (1953).[{{Citation |title=Herman Strategier |date=2019-01-07 |url=https://nl.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Herman_Strategier&oldid=52949665 |work=Wikipedia |language=nl |access-date=2019-09-09}}]
* [Arvo Pärt](/source/Arvo_P%C3%A4rt), [Estonia](/source/Estonia)n composer, a German translation ''Sieben Magnificat-Antiphonen für gemischten Chor a cappella''.
* [Bob Chilcott](/source/Bob_Chilcott), British composer, ''Advent Antiphons'', in Latin, for unaccompanied [SSAATTBB](/source/SSAATTBB).
* [Paweł Łukaszewski](/source/Pawe%C5%82_%C5%81ukaszewski), Polish composer, (1995–1999).
* [Peter Hallock](/source/Peter_Hallock), American composer of music in the Episcopalian and Anglican traditions, two settings, 1986 and 1989.
* [Healey Willan](/source/Healey_Willan), Anglo-Canadian composer, whose setting is in use throughout the [Anglican Communion](/source/Anglican_Communion).
* [James MacMillan](/source/James_MacMillan), Scottish composer, has set to music an English paraphrase of the antiphon ''O Oriens'' ('O Radiant Dawn') as part of his ''Strathclyde Motets''. The setting borrows harmony from [Thomas Tallis](/source/Thomas_Tallis)'s motet ''O nata lux''.[{{cite book |last1=Radio |first1=Scala |title=Scala Radio's A Soundtrack for Life: Classical Music to Take You Through the Day |date=8 July 2021 |publisher=Octopus |isbn=978-0-85783-968-8 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AqT6DwAAQBAJ&dq=james+macmillan+o+radiant+dawn&pg=PT267 |access-date=13 December 2021 |language=en |chapter=O Radiant Dawn from the Strathclyde Motets}}]
==See also==
*[Christ I](/source/Christ_I)
==Media==
*{{Audio|Liber Usualis 0340a.mid|Antiphon "O Sapientia quae ex ore Altissimi"}}
*{{Audio|Liber Usualis 0340b.mid|Antiphon O Adonai II Great Advent Antiphon}}
*{{Cite web |title=BinAural Collaborative Hypertest |url=http://bach.nau.edu |access-date=19 December 2013}}
**{{Cite web |title=Sapientia |url=http://bach.nau.edu/Chant/OAntiphon1.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080706124457/http://bach.nau.edu/Chant/OAntiphon1.html |archive-date=July 6, 2008 |access-date=28 November 2007}}
**{{Cite web |title=Adonai |url=http://bach.nau.edu/Chant/OAntiphon2.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070520190841/http://bach.nau.edu/Chant/OAntiphon2.html |archive-date=20 May 2007 |access-date=28 November 2007}}
**{{Cite web |title=Radix Jesse |url=http://bach.nau.edu/Chant/OAntiphon4.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070824181828/http://bach.nau.edu/Chant/OAntiphon4.html |archive-date=24 August 2007 |access-date=28 November 2007}}
**{{Cite web |title=Oriens |url=http://bach.nau.edu/Chant/OAntiphon5.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070824181737/http://bach.nau.edu/Chant/OAntiphon5.html |archive-date=24 August 2007 |access-date=28 November 2007}}
**{{Cite web |title=Rex Gentium |url=http://bach.nau.edu/Chant/OAntiphon6.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070825120044/http://bach.nau.edu/Chant/OAntiphon6.html |archive-date=25 August 2007 |access-date=28 November 2007}}
==References==
{{reflist}}
==External links==
{{Commons category|O antiphons}}
{{wikisource|O Antiphons}}
* {{Cite web |date=2005-12-18 |title=A reflection on the O Antiphons |url=http://morgue.anglicansonline.org/051218 |website=Anglicans Online}}
* {{Cite web |last=Hall |first=A.C.A. |date=1914 |title=The Advent Antiphons |url=http://anglicanhistory.org/usa/acahall/antiphons.html |quote=commentary and paraphrase}}
* {{Cite web |last=Saunders |first=William |title=What are the O Antiphons? |url=https://www.catholiceducation.org/articles/religion/re0374.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070203023459/https://www.catholiceducation.org/articles/religion/re0374.html |archive-date=2007-02-03}}
* {{Cite web |title=Umilta Website on Julian of Norwich |url=http://www.umilta.net/sophia.html}}
{{Authority control}}
{{Liturgical year of the Catholic Church}}
{{Advent}}
Category:Catholic liturgy
Category:Christian hymns in Latin
Category:Advent songs
Category:Hymns in The New English Hymnal
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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [O Antiphons](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/O_Antiphons) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/O_Antiphons?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.