O Antiphons

O antiphons are in the Catholic liturgy since very early times ( at least since the 7th century ), the antiphons for the Magnificat at Vespers of the last seven days of Advent before Christmas Eve, so from 17 to December 23.

They each start with an Old Testament taken pictorial salutation of the expected Messiah praise be awaited work and open in a cry of " Veni ", "Come! ". The name of the antiphons is derived from the invocation " O ", with each of the antiphons begin.

O Key of David and scepter of the house of Israel, you open and no one can shut, dost thou and no one can open it again. Come, O Lord, and deliver the prisoners from the dungeon, those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death.

In the Holy Mass from 17 to 23 December, a shortened version of the O Antiphon of the day is sung as a verse in the Gospel Acclamation since the last reform of the liturgy.

The O Antiphons as well as the scripture readings of the last week of Advent bring the joyful character of the Advent expressed since ancient times ( with different regional accents ) next to a Day of Prayer and Lent was a gentle Christmas embossed time of anticipation in a special way.

Antiphons

It is sometimes pointed out that can be the initials of the Messiah seven styling read backwards as two Latin words: Ero cras, " I will ( there) be - tomorrow". This linguistically something violent and certainly not a " writer" intended acrostic is a good mnemonic.

Arrangements and musical settings

In addition to the traditional Gregorian melodies to the antiphons and stand-alone musical settings exist in modern art music, such as Marc- Antoine Charpentier ( Antiennes "O" de l' Avent H. 534) or Arvo Pärt ( Seven Magnificat Antiphons, 1988 / 91).

The hymn Veni, Veni, Emmanuel consists of five stanzas, each representing abridged, metric versions of five of the O Antiphons. When his time of origin of the 12th century is believed traditionally; but the earliest detectable source of text is from the year 1710. The hymn is regularly sung to the tune of a Franciscan procession singing, which is highlighted in a French manuscript of the 15th century the Libera me.

From the paraphrase of this hymn various known Christmas carols have emerged, some of which exist in different versions:

• O come, O come, Emmanuel (Text: Cologne 1722; Melody: Schmidt Hymns Dusseldorf or Cologne 1836 Hymns 1852)
• Lord, send down to us Your Son (Text: Henry Bone in Cantate 1847; Melody: Kempten 1000 or Andernacher Hymns, Cologne 1608, printed with machined text in praise of God (1975 ) No. 112)
• O come, O come, thou Morning Star (Text: Otmar Schulz in 1975 after the English O come, O come Emmanuel by John Mason Neale 1851/61 and Henry Sloane Coffin 1916; melody: France 15th century, printed in EC # 19 )

The O Antiphon 21 December O Oriens was paraphrased by Cynewulf in the 9th century in the Advent Christian poetry. Reading these lines inspired JRR Tolkien to a poem and were with an occasion to write his tales of Middle-earth.