The Octave before Christmas, sometimes called 'the Golden Nights of Advent' is a time when we prepare more intensely to celebrate the First Coming of Christ at Christmas. In this period, the Vespers liturgy is marked by seven Magnificat antiphons, each beginning 'O' and invoking the coming Lord with an Old Testament title. These antiphons are a distinctive feature of this period, and are often commented upon. Here are a few Dominican offerings related to these antiphons.

The English Dominican students have recorded each of these antiphons according to the Dominican chant books, and offered reflections on each of them at their blog, Godzdogz. Click here to see these posts.

Across the waters in Washington D.C., Br Humbert offers a reflection, here, on the knowledge known by natural reason and the divine Wisdom revealed at Christ's incarnation.

That reflection is inspired by the O antiphon for the 17th of December, which is sung below by our Dominican nuns in Drogheda, Ireland. 

And finally, Fr Lawrence has offered photographs, here,  which serve in some manner to illustrate each of the O antiphons.