December 17th to 23rd: The O Antiphons for the Magnificat of Evening Prayer in the final week of Advent.

 

December 17th marks the beginning of the “O Antiphons”. The antiphons are based on the titles or names that belong to the Christ born in Bethlehem. They shape our speech, how we address the Christ, how we long for him as we cry out: “O Wisdom.... O come....” The antiphons highlight different facets of the wonder of Christmas. This tradition, which comes from Evening Prayer, has been around since at least the eighth century.