The ‘O’ Antiphons (also known as Greater Antiphons or the Great ‘O’) are ancient antiphons found in the liturgy that is prayed from December 17-23. They all begin with the invocation ‘O.’ They call to mind the ancient longing and pleading of the people of the Old Testament for a Savior to come, invoking different Christological titles on the seven days before Christmas Eve. In praying these we remember the original yearning for the First Coming of Christ at Bethlehem, and echo the same waiting and supplication for the Emmanuel to come at Parousia, His Second Coming. The ‘O’ Antiphons take us through chronological order from before Creation to the birth of Christ at Bethlehem.
(Digital image courtesy of the Getty’s Open Content Program)
December 17: O Sapientia (O Wisdom)
December 18: O Adonai (O Lord and Ruler)
December 19: O Radix Jesse (O Root of Jesse)
December 20: O Clavis David (O Key of David)
December 21: O Oriens (O Dayspring)
December 22: O Rex Gentium (O King of Nations)
December 23: O Emmanuel (O God with Us)
Each day’s antiphon is recited before and after the Magnificat in the Evening Prayer of the Liturgy of the Hours, and also in the Alleluia versicle before the Gospel at Mass. By the time we reach December 23, the backwards acrostic of the Latin initials of the Christological titles spell ERO CRAS: Tomorrow I will come.