Plymouth Magazine-Winter24-DIGITAL - Flipbook - Page 5
O Antiphons: Plymouth Gallery
Collaborative Exhibit
By Beth Ann Edwards (she/her)
Imagine a time, 1500 years ago, in a
monastery or cathedral, where worship
services were held daily. The liturgy was
consistent, and the sameness provided
comfort and a sense of grounding to those
who attended. Many parts of these daily
services have survived and are incorporated
into modern worship today. One aspect
of tradition that has evolved and survived
is the series of “O Antiphons”.
Within the ancient evening Vespers
service, in the seven days before
Christmas Eve, a short sentence was
sung or spoken before and after the
“Magnificat”, or Mary’s song (found in
Luke 1:46b–55). These seven sentences,
or antiphons, were written to assist
Christians as they concentrated their
minds on the coming Christmas,
enriching the meaning of the Incarnation
found in Mary’s song.
“O Antiphon” art by Michael Lui
The text of these seven antiphons, known
as the “O Antiphons” reaches back to the
time of Benedictine Pope St. Gregory
the Great, between the sixth and seventh
centuries. Each antiphon gives Christ a
new title, and all reference texts are taken
from Old Testament prophesies that
portend hope for the promised Messiah,
as told by Isaiah. The attributes mentioned
in this ancient text are still desired today:
peace, unity, safety, among others.
These antiphons have endured through
the ages, and they come to us today as
the seven verses of the Advent hymn
“O Come, O Come Emmanuel”. The
metric verses were first incorporated as
early as the 12th Century and set to our
familiar 8.8.8.8 metric pattern in about
1500, written in Latin and documented
in Germany.
The hymn tune, “Veni Emmanuel”, can
be dated back to the 15th Century as a
French tune sung at funerals. Once tune
and text were combined, they remained
together. The haunting tune and the
words that express longing and hope are
a perfect blend, bringing an experience
greater than the two parts individually.
This hymn is well loved across
denominations and can be found in at
least 517 hymnals. Many church choir
libraries have multiple versions of the
hymn, and recordings have been made
by church, university and professional
choirs, as well as mainstream singers
and ensembles.
O COME, O COME, EMMANUEL
1 O come, O come, Emmanuel,
and ransom captive Israel
that mourns in lonely exile here
until the Son of God appear.
Refrain:
Rejoice! Rejoice! Immanuel
shall come to you, O Israel.
2 O come, O Wisdom from on high,
who ordered all things mightily;
to us the path of knowledge show
and teach us in its ways to go.
3 O come, O come, great Lord of might,
who to your tribes on Sinai’s height
in ancient times did give the law
in cloud and majesty and awe.
4 O come, O Branch of Jesse’s stem,
unto your own and rescue them!
From depths of hell your people save,
and give them victory o’er the grave.
5 O come, O Key of David, come
and open wide our heavenly home.
Make safe for us the heavenward road
and bar the way to death’s abode.
6 O come, O Bright and Morning Star,
and bring us comfort from afar!
Dispel the shadows of the night
and turn our darkness into light.
7 O come, O King of nations, bind
in one the hearts of all mankind.
Bid all our sad divisions cease
and be yourself our King of Peace.
Plymouth Magazine 5
