Additional O Antiphons.
Additional O Antiphons.
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In the Roman tradition, 'O virgo virginum' is sometimes used before, and in addition to, 'O Adonaï' on December 18, which is the Feast of the Expectation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Exspectatio Partus B M V). This is due in part to the eighth text being abolished by Pope Pius V in the sixteenth century, and then reintroduced in 1725 from a surviving Spanish use.
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O virgo virginum quomodo fiet?
Istud quia nec primam te similem visa es, nec habebis sequentem.
Filiae Ierusalem, quid me admiramini?
Divinum est mysterium hoc quod cernitis.
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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 is a divine mystery.
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Some medieval breviaries have one or other of the following antiphons set for December 21, the Feast of St Thomas the Apostle. The second of these two is the more common from the 13th century onwards, as St Thomas's Day became a more popular observance:
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O Thoma Didyme, per Christum quem meruisti tangere,
te precibus rogamus altissonis,
succurre nobis miseris
ne damnemur cum impiis in adventu iudicis
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O Thomas Didymus, through Christ whom thou hast deserved to touch,
we ask thee, with prayers resounding on high,
to succor us wretches,
that we be not condemned with the wicked at the coming of the Judge.
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O Gabriel, nuntius caelorum,
qui clausis ianuis ad me introisti,
et verbum annuntiasti:
concipies et paries Emmanuel vocabitur.
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O Gabriel, messenger of the heavens,
who through closed doors hast entered unto me,
and hast announced the word:
'Thou shalt conceive, and bear One called Emmanuel.'
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The following three antiphons were also used additionally during medieval times, and are found in various sources:
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O rex pacifice, tu ante saecula nate,
per auream egredere portam
redemptos tuos visita
et eos illuc revoca
unde ruerunt per culpam.
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O King of Peace, Thou Who wast born before the world,
march out through the golden gate,
visit Thou Thy redeemed ones,
and call them back there,
whence they have fallen by sin.
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O mundi domina regio ex semine orta
ex tuo iam Christus processit alvo tamquam sponsus de thalamo
hic iacet in praesepio qui et sidera regit
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O Lady of the World, sprung of Royal Race,
now hath Christ come forth from thy womb as a Bridegroom from His chamber:
Here lieth He in the crib Who ruleth the stars.
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O Ierusalem civitas dei summi
leva in circuitu oculos tuos
et vide dominum deum tuum
quia iam veniet solvere te a vinculis.
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O Jerusalem, City of the Most High God,
lift up thine eyes round about
and see the Lord thy God,
Who is already come to loose thee from thy bonds.
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In northern France, the following was used instead of 'O mundi domina':
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O beata infantia, per quam nostri generis reparata est vita.
O gratissimi delectabilesque vagitus, per quos eternos ploratus evasimus.
O felices panni, quibus peccatorum sordes extersimus.
O presepe splendidum, in quo non solum jacuit foenum animalium,
sed cibus inventus est Angelorum.
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O blessed Childhood, by which is made anew the life of our race.
O wailing sweet and loveable, whereby we have escaped everlasting wailings.
O happy swaddling bands, wherewith we have wiped off the soil of sin.
O royal manger, wherein, not only lay the hay of beasts,
but where, too, was found the Food of Angels.
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From Liège in Belgium:
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O summe artifex, polique Rector siderum altissime;
ad homines descende, sedents in tenebris et umbra mortis.
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O great Architect, and most high Ruler of the heavens;
come down to men, sitting in darkness and the shadow of death.
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The following five antiphons, are from modern (that is, post-reformation) French brevaries.
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O Sancte Sanctorum, Speculum sine macula
Dei maiestatis et imago bonitatis illius:
Veni, ut deleatur iniquitas, et adducatur iustitia sempiterna.
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O Holy of Holies, Mirror without spot
of the majesty of God and image of His goodness:
Come, blot out iniquity, and bring back everlasting justice.
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O Pastor Israel, et Dominator in domo David,
cuius egressus ab initio, a diebus aeternitatis:
Veni, ut pascas populum tuum in fortitudine,
et regnes in iustitia et iudicio.
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O Shepherd of Israel, and Ruler in the house of David
Whose going forth is from the beginning, from the days of eternity:
Come, and feed Thy people in strength,
and reign in justice and judgment.
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(First version)
O Bone Pastor, qui requiris et visitas oves:
Veni, et libera eas de omnibus locis in quibus disperae
in die nubis et caliginis.
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O Good Shepherd, Who seekest and visitest the sheep:
Come, and free them in all places whither they were scattered
in the days of cloud and darkness.
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(Second version)
O Bone Pastor, visita gregem tuum, require quod periit,
redum quod abiectum, consolida quod infirmum;
ut impositas in humeros oves, in iudicio pascas,
et ad vitae fontes aquarum deducas.
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O Good Shepherd, visit Thy flock, seek the strayed,
raise up the fallen, strengthen the weak;
and so feed in justice the sheep which Thou bearest upon Thy shoulders,
and bring them to the fountains of Living Water.
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O Domine, fac mirabilia, cogitationes fideles:
Virgo pariat filium:
mulier conterat caput serpentis:
hoc erit memoriale nominis tui,
cum manus feminae deiecerit eum.
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O Lord, work great marvels, Thy faithful counsels of old:
let the Virgin bring forth a son:
let the woman bruise the serpent's head:
for this shall be a memorial of Thy Name,
when the hand of the woman hath cast him down.
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Adapted from The Great Advent Antiphons by Tiefling.