The Great

Antiphons


According
to the Anglican
and Latin Rite Use
This little booklet contains the Great
O Antiphons to be used before and
after the Magnificat at Evening Prayer.
The source of the text is from the
Anglican Breviary, the photos are from
my Googling eyes. Sources are marked.

I’m sure some will ask why there are

two different dates at each Antiphon.
The Breviary gives this answer:

Dec. 16th is marked in the English Prayer-

Book as O Sapientia as was the custom in
ancient English usage. (In present Roman
usage, Dec. 17th is so marked.)

As many follow the English usage, it

is included here. That, and lauding the
great Mother of God is meet and right so
to do. Mary points to Jesus and she held
Him in the womb. We must treasure her.

In that spirit, come, let us adore

Him, celebrating His entrance into
human history, and our entrance into
everlasting life through His Cross!

Merry Christmas!
The O’Sullivan Family
O Sapientia
16/17 December

Wisdom,
which camest
out of the mouth of
the Most High, and
reachest from one end to
another, mightily and
sweetly ordering all things:
Come and teach us
the way of prudence.

Icon of the Holy Wisdom

upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons
/1/15/Holy_Wisdom_icon_%28Yaroslavl%29.jpg
O Adonai
17/18 December

Adonai,
and Leader of
the house of Israel,
who appearedst in
the Bush to Moses in a flame
of fire, and gavest him
the Law in Sinai:
Come and redeem us
with an outstretched arm.

Mosaic of Moses and the Burning Bush

freechristimages.org/images_Exodus
/Moses_Burning_Bush_Bysantine_Mosaic.jpg
O Radix Jesse
18/19 December

Root of Jesse,
which standest for
an ensign of the
people, at whom
kings shall shut their mouths,
to whom the Gentiles shall seek:
Come and deliver us,
and tarry not.

Jan Mostaert, Tree of Jesse, Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, 1485

www.lib-art.com/imgpainting/9/0/34609-tree-of-jesse-mostaert-jan.jpg
O Clavis David
19/20 December

Key of David,
and Sceptre of the
house of Israel;
that openest and
no man shutteth, and shuttest
and no man openeth:
Come and bring the prisoners
out of the prison house, them
that sit in darkness and
in the shadow of death.

Icon of the Resurrection

travel.webshots.com/photo/1079920125033802069Jqppyj
O Oriens
20/21 December

Day-spring,
Brightness of the
Light Everlasting, and
Sun of Righteousness:
Come and enlighten them that sit in
darkness and in the shadow of death.

NASA ISS007 Sunrise Pacific Ocean

xmbill.files.wordpress.com/2007/06/gpw-200702-49-nasa
-iss007-e-10807-space-sunset-20030721-pacific-ocean-large.jpg
 O Rex gentium
21/22 December

King of Nations,
and their Desire;
the Cornerstone,
who makest both one:
Come and save mankind, whom
thou formedst of clay.

Stained glass window at the Melkite Catholic

Annunciation Cathedral in Roslindale depicting Christ the King
upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b4/Melkite-Christ-the-King.jpg
O Emmanuel
22/23 December

Emmanuel,
our King and
Lawgiver, Desire
of all nations
and their Salvation:
Come and save us,
O Lord our God.

Jesus teaching at the Temple

outdoors.webshots.com/photo/1163358905048871983FQobqy
O Virgo virginum
23 December

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.

Statue of Our Lady of Walsingham, the Slipper Chapel, England.

upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e
/ea/Our_Lady_of_Walsingham_detail_I.JPG
 
The Church of Saint Anthony of Padua
72 Lodi Street
Hackensack, NJ
www.saintanthonyhackensack.org