The Great O Antiphons. 23 December.

Text and Illustrations taken from The Saint Andrew Daily Missal, 

unless otherwise stated.

The Adoration of the Shepherds.

Artist: Gerard van Honthorst (1590–1656).

Date: 25 December 1622.

Current location: Wallraf-Richartz-Museum,

Cologne, Germany.

Source/Photographer: The Yorck Project: 10.000 Meisterwerke der Malerei.

DVD-ROM, 2002. ISBN 3936122202.

Distributed by DIRECTMEDIA Publishing GmbH.

Permission: http://mail.wikipedia.org/pipermail/wikide-l/2005-April/012195.html.

(Wikimedia Commons)

O Emmanuel.
The Great O Antiphon
for 23 December.
Available on YouTube at
http://youtu.be/FWGM9bJR2Cs.

 23 December: Isaias vii. 14, xxxiii. 22.

O Emmanuel,

Rex et legifer noster,

exspectatio Gentium,

et Salvator earum:

veni ad salvandum nos,

Domine Deus noster.

O Emmanuel,

our King and Lawgiver,

the expected of the nations 

and their Saviour,

come to save us,

O Lord our God.

V. Rorate.

"Rorate caeli desuper, et nubes pluant justium . . ."

"Ye heavens, drop down from above, and let the clouds rain down the Just One."