The painting is from the massive Ghent altarpiece, "The Adoration of the Lamb" by Hubert and Jan van Eyck at St. Bavo Cathedral, Ghent, Belgium. Wiki shows the whole altarpiece, except for missing parts, and it is worth a look.
The well-known carol, “O come, O come, Emmanuel,” provides just such a passageway linking the old and the new. The carol’s familiar names for Christ are based on the Advent Antiphons—the “Great O’s”—which date back possibly to the sixth century. These antiphons—short devotional texts chanted before and after a psalm or canticle—were sung before and after the Magnificat, the Song of Mary, at Vespers from December 16 through December 23. Each of the antiphons greets the Messiah and ends with a petition of hope. The simple refrain of the carol, “Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel!” sets the tone for this Advent time of waiting and expectation.
From "Hasten the Kingdom: Praying the O Antiphons of Advent" by Mary Winifred, C.A. (Liturgical Press, 1996).
Over the next several days, beginning today, I plan to post the "O Antiphon" of the day.
Reposted from last year with slight editing.
I usually think of myself as "progressive" but it's Christmas, far from my beloved church, and I miss the traditions! So much for progressive. Thanks for this, it will help.
ReplyDelete"Progressive" is Traditional, "traditionalist" isn't. It is anti Modern.
ReplyDeletePolitical. Anti Modern Social and Sexual Politics.
Nothing to do with Tradition.
That's my take, FWIW.
I so love the O Antiphons. I am posting about them on my church blog starting tomorrow!
ReplyDeleteI will be looking forward to your posts Grandmere.
I agree that you can be progressive and love the traditions of the church-- look at Mimi!
ReplyDeleteHey, Mimi, happy Jane Austen's birthday today.
As I've said before, I love Advent. I love the traditions associated with the true reason for the season, the waiting, with hope and expectancy, for the coming of the Christ child.
ReplyDeleteOh golly thanks. I had forgotten to haul out the laminated card with the O Antiphons (the only place I know of for contemporary Episcopalians to find them - except for on the net and fishing them out of the verses of the hymn - is in Howard Galley's "Prayer Book Offices")!
ReplyDelete