The O Antiphons

We hear the O Antiphons on the remaining days of Advent. Each day the Gospel Acclamation at Mass and the Evening Prayer antiphon before the Magnificat begin with O and include a Messianic title, such as O Wisdom or O King of All the Nations. These O antiphons probably began with monks in centuries past. The monks did something special on the days of December 17 through December 24. Maybe Advent had been a little too penitential, and they had to lighten up before the Christmas feast. Anyway, it’s said that they had treats made from peanuts on the day when the Messiah was addressed as Root of Jesse. They ate an orange on the day when the Messiah was named “O Dawn.” My favorite is the day of “O Key of David” when the monk in charge of the wine cellar used his key to bring out a fine wine for the monks’ dinner. 

One time the superior in the convent in which I was living did the same thing; that is, she provided some little treat every day during the O Antiphons. Just something to look forward to during the last days of teaching before Christmas vacation. Try it!  It’s sort of fun!