Tonight begins the series of seven Antiphons, O Sapientia, O Adonai, O Radix Jesse, O Clavis David, O Oriens, O Rex and O Emmanuel in preparation for Christmas recited before the Magnificat at Vespers. Derek Olsen at Episcopal Cafe traces their derivation, calling this span of days Sapientia-tide.
O Sapientia, quae ex ore Altissimi prodiisti,
attingens a fine usque ad finem fortiter,
suaviterque disponens omnia:
veni ad docendum nos viam prudentiae.
O Wisdom,who proceeds from the mouth of the Most High,
reaching out mightily from end to end,
and sweetly arranging all things:
come to teach us the way of prudence.
Proverbs 1:20; 8; 9 and I Corinthians 1:30 (Illustration is the Incipit of the Book of Jesus Ben Sirach from an illuminated manuscript to which I cannot locate a reference yet).
The development of the Antiphons begins with Wisdom forming the Universe and ending God With Us.
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