O Antiphons

The “O” Antiphons are a series of short verses that are recited before and after the Magnificat at Evensong in the octave leading up to Christmas. These antiphons meditatively focus and frame our devotions leading up the celebration of the Nativity, and they remind us of the hope and expectation of the Lord’s coming. In current Roman tradition, these antiphons begin on December 17 and are used through the evening of the 23rd, however, many Anglicans opt to follow the ancient English custom of beginning on the 16th and adding an additional antiphon on the 23rd. When read in reverse, the first letter of each Latin title forms an acrostic: in the Anglican use it is VERO CRAS (“truly tomorrow”).