Advent Antiphons

Advent Antiphons are those ancient antiphons used before and after the Magnificat which begin with the letter O. We give those for Dec. 16-. 23 as they stand in many ancient and some modern rituals: .

"Dec. 16.-O Sapientia! .O Wisdom! which comest forth out of the mouth of the Most High, and reachest from one end to the other, mightily and sweetly ordering all things; come and teach us the way of prudence.

"Dee. 17.-O Adonai! O Lord and Ruler of the House of Israel! who appearedst unto Moses in a flame of fire in the bush, and gavest unto him the law in Sinai; come and redeem us wit a stretched-out arm.

" Dec. 18.-O Radix Jesse! O Root of Jesse! who standest for an. ensign of the people, at whom kings shall shut their mouths, unto whom .the Gentiles shall pray; come and deliver us, and tarry not.

"Dec. 19.-O Clavis David I ' 0 Key of David and. Sceptre of the House of Israel ! thou that openest and no man shutteth, and shuttest and no man openeth; come and loose the prisoner from the. prison house, and him that sitteth in darkness from the shadow of death.

"Dec. 20.-O Orien !' 0 Orient, Brightness of the Eternal Light and Sun of Righteousness . come. and lighten them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death.

"Dec. 21.-O Rex Gentium! O King of the Gentiles aid' their Desire, the Corner-stone! who madest both one; come and save man, whom thou hast made out of the, dust of the earth.

"Dec. 22.-O .Emnlmaueel! O Emmanuel, our King and Lawgiver! the Desire of all nations and their Savior; come and save us, O Lord our God.

"Dec. 23.-O Virgo Virgium! O 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 was a divine: mystery."