The 'O' Antiphons -- Prayer Activity for Families

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The 'O' Antiphons

The O Antiphons, so called because they all begin with the exhortation "O," are part of the Divine Office. These prayers are sung or said on the seven days before the Vigil of the Nativity, beginning on December 17th.

A collection of phrases from Biblical texts, largely the wisdom and prophetic books, they are believed to have been composed by a cantor of the 7th or 8th century. The Antiphons became truly popular during the Middle Ages. They speak of man's desire and longing for God, a longing which has existed throughout the history of God's people from the beginning of time through Abraham, Moses and David, fulfilled on the night when Emmanuel (God with us) was born.

The structure of the Antiphons make them perfect for a family tradition, and if you wish, for expressing in a physical form. Some families draw the symbols of the Antiphons on circles of cardboard, felt, fabric or paper and hang them from ribbons on a banner or poster. The circles are turned to the wall and after the Antiphon is sung or said, the circle is flipped to show the images. On Christmas Eve, all the images are visible.

	December 17: 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!
	December 18: O Lord and Ruler of the house of Israel, You appeared to Moses in the burning bush and on Mount Sinai gave him Your Law. Come and with outstretched arm redeem us!
	December 19: 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, save us and do not delay!
	December 20: O Key of David, and Sceptre of the House of Israel, You open and no man closes; You close and no man opens. Come and deliver him from the chains of prison who sits in darkness and in the shadow of death!
	December 21: O Rising Dawn, Radiance of the Light eternal and Sun of Justice; come and enlighten those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death!
	December 22: O King of Nations and Desired of All, You are the cornerstone that binds two into one. Come, and save poor man whom You fashioned out of clay!
	December 23: O Emmanuel, God with us, our King and Lawgiver, the Expected of nations and their Saviour; come and save us , O Lord our God!

To download and print these images for your family:

• Antiphons_print.htm will open a new page in your browser
• Antiphons.pdf will download to your computer

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For your information and family prayer.

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[Mad Dawg]

Salvation, you are da BOMB!

[Salvation]

Boom! It’s O Antiphon time!

Christmas will be here sooner than we think.

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The 'O' Antiphons -- Prayer Activity for Families

O Antiphons -- Scriptural Detail of these Advent prayers

The Great Advent Antiphons

What are the “O Antiphons”?

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Click on symbols to see the day.

O WISDOM December 17 Symbols: All-Seeing Eye and the Lamp Come, and teach us the way of prudence. O Wisdom, who came from 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. O Sapientia, quae ex ore Altissimi prodiisti, attingens a fine usque ad finem fortiter, suaviterque disponens omnia: veni ad docendum nos viam prudentiae. The "all-seeing eye" represents the all-knowing and ever-present God. During the late Renaissance, the eye was pictured in a triangle with rays of light to represent the infinite holiness of the Trinity. The lamp is a symbol of wisdom taken from the parable of the wise and foolish virgins in Matthew 25. Recommended Readings: Proverbs 8:1-12

[Tax-chick]

I started singing them this morning (at an unpleasantly early hour, leading to a chorus of “Why are you *singing*?”)

Now I need to put the Spanish words with the music, for Sunday.

[Salvation]

Great that you were singing them too. Is your choir going to sing them in Spanish also?

[pray4liberty]

A Christmas Card for Everybody.

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[Tax-chick]

We’ll sing it for the communion song on Sunday, if all goes well. The Spanish “choir” is just me, my husband, and a son right now :-).

[Global2010]

Bookmarked!

[Global2010]

Clickable link:

http://www.crosscards.com/ecards/v/ea59a6d1-e950-4074.aspx

Your Card Code is ea59a6d1-e950-4074

[Salvation]

Click on symbols to see the day.

O LORD AND RULER December 18 Symbols: The Tablets Come and redeem us with outstretched arm. O Lord and Ruler of the House of Israel, who appeared to Moses in the flame of the burning bush and gave him the law on Sinai: Come and redeem us with outstretched arm. O Adonai, et dux domus Israël, qui Moyse in igne flammae rubi apparuisti, et ei in Sina legem dedisti: veni ad redimendum nos in brachio extento. The tablets of stone are a picture of the Ten Commandments given by God to Moses on Mt. Sinai. They may be used to represent the whole of God's law, the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Bible, the Torah), or the entire Old Testament. Recommended Readings: Micheas 5:1-9

[Salvation]

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O ROOT OF JESSE December 19 Symbols: Plant with Flower Come to deliver us, and tarry not. O Root of Jesse, who stands for an ensign of the people, before whom kings shall keep silence and unto whom the Gentiles shall make supplication: Come to deliver us, and tarry not. O Radix Jesse, qui stas in signum populorum, super quem continebunt reges os suum, quem gentes deprecabuntur: veni ad liberandum nos, jam noli tardare. The flower which springs up from the root of Jesse is another figure of Christ. Isaiah prophesied that the Savior would be born from the root of Jesse, that He would sit upon the throne of David, and in Christ this prophecy is fulfilled. Recommended Readings: Isaias 11:1-12

[Salvation]

Click on symbols to see the day.

O KEY OF DAVID December 20 Symbols: Key Come, and bring forth the captive from his prison. O Key of David, and Scepter of the House of Israel, who opens and no man shuts, who shuts and no man opens; Come and bring forth the captive from his prison, he who sits in darkness and in the shadow of death. O Clavis David, et sceptrum domus Israël, qui aperis, et nemo claudit, claudis, et nemo aperuit: veni, et educ vinctum de domo carceris, sedentem in tenebris, et umbra mortis. The key is the emblem of authority and power. Christ is the Key of the House of David who opens to us the full meaning of the scriptural prophecies, and reopens for all mankind the gate of Heaven. Recommended Readings: Isaias 22:22-25

[Salvation]

Sorry I did not get this posted yesterday.

Click on symbols to see the day.

O RADIANT DAWN December 21 Symbols: Sun with Rays Come, and shine on those seated in darkness, and in the shadow of death. O Dawn, splendor of eternal light, and sun of justice, come, and shine on those seated in darkness, and in the shadow of death. O Oriens, splendor lucis aeternae, et sol justitiae: veni, et illumina sedentes in tenebris, et umbra mortis. Just as the natural sun gives light and life to all upon whom its rays fall, so Christ, the Rising Dawn, dispels darkness and brings eternal life and light. Recommended Readings: Malachias 4:2-6

[Salvation]

Click on symbols to see the day.

O KING OF THE GENTILES December 22 Symbols: Crown and Scepter Come, and deliver man, whom You formed out of the dust of the earth. O King of the Gentiles and their desired One, the Cornerstone that makes both one; Come, and deliver man, whom You formed out of the dust of the earth. O Rex Gentium, et desideratus earum, lapisque angularis, qui facis utraque unum: veni, et salva hominem, quem de limo formasti. The crown and scepter signify Christ's universal kingship. As we sing in the fifth O Antiphon, Christ is not only the King of the Jewish nation, but the "Desired One of all," the cornerstone which unites both Jew and Gentile. Recommended Readings: Apocalypse 15:1-4

[Salvation]

Click on symbols to see the day.

O EMMANUEL December 23 Symbols: Manger Come to save us, O Lord our God. O Emmanuel, God with us, our King and Lawgiver, the expected of the nations and their Savior: Come to save us, O Lord our God. O Emmanuel, Rex et legifer noster, expectatio gentium, et Salvator earum: veni ad salvandum nos, Domine, Deus noster. The manger reminds us of the simplicity and poverty surrounding the birth of Jesus and is representative of His life of humility. Recommended Readings: Isaias 9:2-7