O Antiphons: Sung by Edinburgh Gregorian Chant Schola

Host: Edinburgh Gregorian Chant Schola
Date: Thursday, December 17, 2009
Time: 5:00pm - 5:45pm
Location: St Mary's RC Cathedral
Street: Broughton Street
City/Town: Edinburgh, United Kingdom

The Schola's principal Vespers for December sees the singing of Vespers during the "Great" Ferias leading up to Christmas. The keynote of each of these seven days is the "O Antiphon", sung at the Magnificat, which addresses Our Lord under various titles. They evoke the yearning of Isaiah, for the saviour to come.

The 17th of December invoked God as "Wisdom" (Sapientia): "O Wisdom, which camest out of the mouth of the most High, and reachest from one end to another, mightily and sweetly ordering all things: Come and teach us the way of prudence."

The hymn "O come, O come, Emmanuel" (in Latin, Veni Emmanuel) is a lyrical paraphrase of these Antiphons. The Vespers are sung in Gregorian Chant, with Benediction of the Most Holy Sacrament following immediately thereafter after. Vespers will also be sung on Sundays the 13th and 17th in Broxburn and Glasgow. For further information, see the blog of the Edinburgh Schola

For more information on and to listen to the O Antiphons, please view my article on the O Antiphons.