ANTIPHONS O. — On December 17, in the Roman liturgy, a series of special antiphons begins at the Magnificat in preparation for the feast of Christmas. They are called the Greater Antiphons (*Antiphonae Majores*), because of the particular solemnity with which they are sung, or the O Antiphons (*Antiphonae O*), because all of them begin with this interjection. Today there are seven, but this number has not always been constant. In the Middle Ages, in some churches they reached nine, and elsewhere as many as twelve. One of them, no longer in use, was addressed to the Virgin: *O Virgo virginum*; another to the Archangel Gabriel: *O Gabriel*; a third to the Apostle St. Thomas: *O Thomas Didyme*, whose feast falls precisely during these ferial days. The others, less frequent even in the Middle Ages, were: *O Rex pacifice*, *O Mundi Domina*, and, as an apostrophe to the Holy City: *O Hierusalem*! For the most part they were sung at the Magnificat during Vespers, but in some places they were performed at the Benedictus.
The primitive group seems to have consisted only of the seven current antiphons, while the others would be a later addition.
It is not possible to determine the origin of these antiphons with certainty; they certainly date back to very ancient times. The oldest documents that make them known to us are the *Responsorial* (mid-9th century), published by the Maurist Fathers among the works of St. Gregory the Great (*PL* 78, 732-33), and some later Roman antiphonaries, edited by Cardinal G. M. Tommasi (*Opera omnia*, IV, ed. Vezzosi, Rome 1749, pp. 1-360). They are also mentioned by Amalarius, Berno of Reichenau, Honorius of Autun, Durandus, and others. Amalarius of Metz (780-850) explicitly states that they are of Roman origin and were introduced into Gaul in the century before his own. It can therefore be considered that they originated in the 7th-8th centuries, perhaps even shortly after the death of St. Gregory the Great (604). They open the week of immediate preparation for Christmas, which has a particular liturgical importance. These last ferial days, from December 17 to 25, form as it were the core of Advent, and probably present even the primitive nucleus of this season, because already one of the earliest documents we possess on Advent, the Council of Saragossa of 380, contains special prescriptions for the period from December 17 to January 6. It is easy to understand, therefore, how these ferial days became enriched with special liturgical pieces. The author almost always draws from Sacred Scripture, but selects and combines the texts with great freedom. All seven antiphons are addressed to the Messiah, who is invoked with the most beautiful epithets and the most expressive symbols. Each one closes with a *venti*, an ardent and almost sorrowful cry, followed by a question related to the titles attributed to Christ.
The singing of these antiphons has always been considered solemn, and was often accompanied by particular ceremonies and great external pomp. However, customs vary from place to place. It is known, for example, that in the 11th century the faithful flocked in crowds to hear them. Today they are almost entirely unknown to the people. The rubrics still consider them solemn, for they prescribe that they always be sung standing even by canons, and performed in their entirety, before and after the Magnificat. Under no circumstances may they be omitted, but all must be sung, each on its appointed day.
A great step forward compared to the Medici edition is the *Antiphonale Monasticum*, published in 1934 under the care of the Solesmes monks. It is more accurate and up-to-date from a critical standpoint. V. Choral and Musical Notation.
Characteristic is the melody with which they are clothed, of good Gregorian craftsmanship, which also indicates their considerable antiquity. It is the second mode, the same for all, though with differences imposed by the variety of texts. There is a feeling of intense longing for the Messiah, which harmonizes very well with the sense of the words.