The O Antiphons are a series of seven liturgical prayers used during the last seven days of Advent in Western Christian traditions, specifically from December 17 to December 23, forming part of the Vespers (Evening Prayer) liturgy. Each antiphon begins with the vocative “O” and addresses Jesus Christ with a unique Messianic title drawn from Old Testament prophecies, particularly from the books of Isaiah and Micah. These titles are: O Sapientia (O Wisdom), O Adonai (O Lord), O Radix Jesse (O Root of Jesse), O Clavis David (O Key of David), O Oriens (O Dawn of the East), O Rex Gentium (O King of the Nations), and O Emmanuel (O God with us).
The antiphons are believed to have originated in Italy during the sixth or seventh century, with early references found in Boethius’s The Consolation of Philosophy. They are traditionally sung or recited before and after the Magnificat during Vespers, and their use is a key feature of the Advent season, reflecting the Church’s anticipation of Christ’s coming. Each antiphon follows a consistent structure: a Messianic title, a scriptural elaboration of that title, a plea for Christ to come, and a specific request related to His saving mission.
A notable feature of the O Antiphons is that the initial letters of their titles, when read in reverse order (Emmanuel, Rex, Oriens, Clavis, Radix, Adonai, Sapientia), form the Latin acrostic “Ero Cras,” meaning “Tomorrow I will come,” symbolizing Christ’s promise to come in the flesh. This acrostic is a central theme of Advent, emphasizing the hope and expectation of the Incarnation.
The O Antiphons have inspired the well-known Advent hymn “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel,” which incorporates the themes and phrases from the original antiphons. While the standard seven antiphons are used in the Roman Rite, some traditions, particularly in the Church of England historically, included an eighth antiphon, “O Virgo virginum” (O Virgin of Virgins), beginning on December 16, which shifted the acrostic to “Vero cras” (“Truly, tomorrow”). However, the sevenfold version remains the most widely observed today.
These prayers are deeply rooted in Scripture, drawing on passages from Isaiah, Micah, and other prophetic texts to highlight Christ’s roles as Wisdom, Redeemer, King, and Savior. They are often incorporated into family devotions, with families using them in conjunction with Jesse Trees, sacred music, and symbolic rituals like lighting candles to represent the coming Light of Christ.
The seven “O Antiphons” (also called the “Greater Antiphons” or “Major Antiphons”) are prayers that come from the Breviary’s Vespers during the Octave before Christmas Eve, a time which is called the “Golden Nights.”
Each Antiphon begins with “O” and addresses Jesus with a unique title which comes from the prophecies of Isaias (Isaiah) and Micheas (Micah), and whose initial letters, when read backwards, form an acrostic for the Latin “Ero Cras” which means “Tomorrow I come.” Those titles for Christ are:
Sapientia
Adonai
Radix Jesse
Clavis David
Oriens
Rex Gentium
Emmanuel
The Great O Antiphons
The Great O Antiphons are a series of short verses which count down the days to Christmas Eve. Sung at the beginning and end of the Magnificat during Evensong, each antiphon begins with a different name for Jesus. They draw on Scripture to help us learn about who Jesus will be, as foretold by the prophets.
At Westminster Abbey, these antiphons are sung at Evensong from the 17th through 23rd of December. In 2024, we recorded them in the Abbey’s beautiful Chapter House. This year, we have recorded a final antiphon – O Virgin of Virgins, which will be released on 23 December.
The Chapter House
The 13th century Chapter House wall paintings depict scenes from the Book of Revelation, including Christ’s second coming. In the O Antiphons, we look back on the prophesies which foretold Christ’s first coming, all the while hoping for His promised return. Recording these antiphons in the Chapter House invites us to the contemplate the themes of Advent, and the future for which we hope.
History
The Great O Antiphons were first written in the Medieval period, possibly as early as the 6th or 7th century. Many variations and melodies exist, but these seven are shared by all traditions. Other antiphons sung in some strands of the English plainsong tradition include O Virgin of Virgins and O Gabriel, among others.
In Latin, the first letter of each Antiphon, backwards, forms an acrostic – ‘ero cras’, which is translated as ‘tomorrow I will come’. Whether this was intentional or not, the phrase encapsulates the hope of the Advent season as we look towards Christ’s incarnation at Christmas.
The antiphons have famously been rewritten into lyrics for the Advent hymn O Come O Come Emmanuel.
Music
The O Antiphons are written in plainsong notation – a type of musical notation predating our modern notation. Staves have four lines instead of five, and begin either in the key of C or F. Different medieval traditions of the O Antiphons have varied melodies.
“This is a good lesson in the messy history of plainchant. The notation published today doesn’t flow directly from one source but exists alongside the dozens of surviving variations with no obvious authority among them. These melodies were disseminated throughout Christendom and varied according to local taste. What remains consistent in the various incarnations of the O Antiphons is a wandering melody that rises and falls repeatedly– the vocalisation of the very human experience of searching.” Stuart O’Hara, Lay Vicar
These antiphons are sung by Lay Vicar William Balkwill.
December 17
December 18
December 19
December 20
December 21
December 22
December 23
Note also that the first verse of the popular hymn is actually the last of the traditional “O Antiphons” (for Dec. 23!), while the other verses of the hymn (in the order printed in most hymnals) correspond to the Antiphons for Dec. 17 to Dec. 22.
- Unfortunately, many churches sing the first verse over and over again throughout the Advent season, maybe also sing verses two and three, but never get around to singing the other beautiful verses.
- Ideally, the hymn “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” ought to be sung only during the last week of Advent. But since it is so popular, and some people might not even realize that it was Advent unless they heard this hymn, it could be sung earlier, possibly even each Sunday (to help unify the season liturgically).
- Yet if this is done, there are better ways of distributing the verses over the four weeks. Since most people know the tune so well, one could easily the first verse until the end, and people could just as easily sing the other verses on the first three Sundays of Advent. To maintain the traditional order, here is one possible suggestion:
- First Sunday: Verses 2 (Wisdom) & 3 (Lord)
- Second Sunday: Verses 4 (Rod of Jesse) & 5 (Key of David)
- Third Sunday: Verses 6 (Dayspring) & 7 (Desire of Nations)
- Fourth Sunday: Verse 1 (Emmanuel) & repeat one or two others
- Or, if your congregation insists on singing the first verse on the first Sunday, then at least all sing the other verses throughout the season. Here’s another possible suggestion (to be adapted, depending on how many verses your congregation normally sings):
- First Sunday: Verses 1 (Emmanuel) & 2 (Wisdom) & 3 (Lord)
- Second Sunday: Verses 3 (Lord) & 4 (Rod of Jesse) & 5 (Key of David)
- Third Sunday: Verses 5 (Key of David) & 6 (Dayspring) & 7 (Desire of Nations)
- Fourth Sunday: Verse 1 (Emmanuel) & any others you wish to repeat
Finally, notice that the refrain of the hymn has awkward phrasing in English:
- Since there is a musical pause after the word “Emmanuel,” most untrained singers naturally take a breath there. As a result, we seem to be telling God to rejoice, while the second phrase is an incomplete thought:
- “Rejoice, rejoice, Emmanuel!” // “Shall come to thee, O Israel.”
- A good choir might be able to sing the whole phrase without a pause, or else be trained to breathe after the second “rejoice” and to sing the rest without a pause:
- “Rejoice, rejoice!” // “Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.”
- But for the average singer in most congregations, it might be better to rearrange the word order, to keep the breathing pause at the usual place, but provide clearer meaning:
- “Rejoice, rejoice, O Israel!” // “To thee shall come Emmanuel.”
- This phrasing is very similar to the Spanish-language translation:
- ¡Alégrate, oh Israel! ¡Vendrá, vendrá Emmanuel!
