Cool Catholic Stuff: The Golden Days (Or "O" Antiphons)

This day, the 18th of December, marks the feast of the Expectation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, exactly an octave until the birth of Our Lord. Originating as early as the 7th century and widely celebrated in the Spanish Church, this feast was called the feast of "St. Maria de la O," because it was long the custom on this day for the clerics in the choir after Vespers to voice a loud and protracted "O," expressing the longing of the universe for the coming of the Redeemer. It also marks the first day of the  seven "O Antiphons" (i.e., the "Greater Antiphons" or "Major Antiphons"), prayers in the Breviary's Vespers during the Octave before Christmas Eve, a time nicknamed the Golden Nights.

Each Antiphonfrom today through December 24th begins with "O" and addresses Our Lord by a unique title originating from the prophecies of Isaias and Micheas. The first letter of each address, when read backwards, form an acrostic in Latin, spelling out Ero Cras which means Tomorrow I come. 

The Seven Designations of Christ:

December 18th:  Sapientia
December 19th:  Adonai
December 20th:  Radix Jesse
December 21st:  Clavis David
December 22nd: Oriens
December 23rd:  Rex Gentium
December 24th:  Emmanuel

You can find below all seven of the O Antiphons in English and Latin. One is prayed each evening at Vespers (around sunset). Any type of ceremony can be devised by families using the Antiphons to commemorate these glorious "Golden Days!" Reading Scripture, singing or listening to sacred music (especially "O Come, Emmanuel," or any Advent-oriented music), adding to a Jesse Tree, Designing Illuminations based upon the O antiphons, etc. Just be sure to set the scene, as with all Catholic family devotions. Consider burning the candles on the Advent Wreath, explain exactly what is going on in the Liturgical Year today and why. Have the children imagine priests, monks, and seminarians throughout the world joining in with them intoning the antiphons and waiting in patient anticipation for the birth of the Christ Child!

To pray the O Antiphons as they are prayed in the Divine Office, begin with the Antiphon, then pray the Magnificat (included below), then repeat the Antiphon.

A good idea would be for one parent to chant, or at least read, the Antiphons in Latin, with the second parent reading them in the vernacular afterwards.

December 18th:

O Wisdom that comest out of the mouth of the Most High, that reachest from one end to another, and orderest all things mightily and sweetly, come to teach us the way of prudence!


Latin
O Sapientia, quæ ex ore Altissimi prodiisti, attingens a fine usque ad finem, fortiter suaviterque disponens omnia: veni ad docendum nos viam prudentiæ.
 

December 19th:

O Adonai, and Ruler of the house of Israel, Who didst appear unto Moses in the burning bush, and gavest him the law in Sinai, come to redeem us with an outstretched arm!

Latin
O Adonai, et Dux domus Israel, qui Moysi in igne flammæ rubi apparuisti, et ei in Sina legem dedisti: veni ad redimendum nos in brachio extento.

December 20th:

O Root of Jesse, which standest for an ensign of the people, at Whom the kings shall shut their mouths, Whom the Gentiles shall seek, come to deliver us, do not tarry.

Latin
O Radix Jesse, qui stas in signum populorum, super quem continebunt reges os suum, quem Gentes deprecabuntur: veni ad liberandum nos, jam noli tardare.

December 21st:

O Key of David, and Sceptre of the house of Israel, that openeth and no man shutteth, and shutteth and no man openeth, come to liberate the prisoner from the prison, and them that sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death.

Latin
O Clavis David, et sceptrum domus Israel; qui aperis, et nemo claudit; claudis, et nemo aperit: veni, et educ vinctum de domo carceris, sedentem in tenebris, et umbra mortis.
 

December 22nd:

O Dayspring, Brightness of the everlasting light, Sun of justice, come to give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death!

Latin
O Oriens, splendor lucis æternæ, et sol justitiæ: veni, et illumina sedentes in tenebris, et umbra mortis.

December 23rd:

O King of the Gentiles, yea, and desire thereof! O Corner-stone, that makest of two one, come to save man, whom Thou hast made out of the dust of the earth!

Latin
O Rex Gentium, et desideratus earum, lapisque angularis, qui facis utraque unum: veni, et salva hominem, quem de limo formasti

December 24th:

O Emmanuel, our King and our Law-giver, Longing of the Gentiles, yea, and salvation thereof, come to save us, O Lord our God!

Latin
O Emmanuel, Rex et legifer noster, exspectatio gentium, et Salvator earum: veni ad salvandum nos Domine Deus noster.

The Magnificat

My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior. For He hath regarded the humility of His handmaiden. For behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. For He that is mighty hath done great things to me, and holy is His Name. And His Mercy is from generation unto generations upon them that fear Him. He hath shewed might in His arm, He hath scattered the proud in the conceit of their heart. He hath put down the mighty from their seat, and hath exalted the humble. He hath filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He hath sent empty away. He hath received Israel, His servant, being mindful of His mercy. As He spoke to our Fathers, Abraham and His seed forever.

Magnificat anima mea Dominum, et exultavit spiritus meus in Deo salvatore meo, quia respexit humilitatem ancillae suae. Ecce enim ex hoc beatam me dicent omnes generationes, quia fecit mihi magna, qui potens est, et sanctum Nomen eius, et misericordia eius in progenies et progenies timentibus eum. Fecit potentiam in brachio suo, dispersit superbos mente cordi sui; deposuit potentes de sede et exaltavit humiles; esurientes implevit bonis et divites dimisit inanes. Suscepit Israel puerum suum, recordatus misericordiae, sicut locutus est ad patres nostros, Abraham et semini eius in saecula

 

The O Antiphons are the source of the lyrics of the Advent song "Veni, Veni Emmanuel" ("Come, O come Emmanuel"). It would be beautiful for the family to sing this lovely Advent song at the conclusion of the O Antiphons. For the lyrics, see the Lyrics and Melodies to Traditional Catholic Hymns page.


With this link, you can download the O Antiphons, the Magnificat, and "Veni, Veni Emmanuel," all in both English and Latin, for use in your home.

* Teaching about the Medieval art of Illumination: link here.

Some Os to color. (click/copy/print)