Marian Antiphons

From the cult of Mary arose the Marian antiphon or “anthem to the Blessed Virgin Mary.” Our English word “anthem,” meaning a song of praise or devotion by now as often patriotic as religious, descends (by way of the Old English antefne) from “antiphon.” These ample songs of salutation to the Mother of God appear in ...

antiphon, in Roman Catholic liturgical music, chant melody and text sung before and after a psalm verse, originally by alternating choirs (antiphonal singing).

The four great seasonal Marian antiphons come from the Divine Office, office of Compline, the last of the sung hours of the day. At the close of Compline, one of the four seasonal Marian prayers was sung: Alma Redemptoris Mater, Ave Regina Caelorum, Regina Caeli, or Salve Regina.

There are four Marian antiphons that are sung throughout the liturgical year, during the Divine Office and sometimes after Mass. Alma Redemptoris Mater is sung from Advent to Candlemas. Ave Regina Caelorum is sung from Candlemas through Wednesday of Holy Week. Regina Caeli is sung throughout Easter.

Updated June 07, 2023. Popularity:2155. Origin:French. Meaning:star of the sea and grace. A figure of many faces, Marian is a French gender-neutral name that defies strict definitions.

Examples of Antiphons Give peace, O Lord, to those who wait for you, that your prophets be found true. Hear the prayers of your servant, and of your people Israel. How precious is your mercy, O God!

The O antiphons make their point – our God is one that has accompanied his people throughout history, longing to love us and to save us. The O antiphons are a powerful way to ponder the Incarnation and bring Advent to its conclusion.

In any case, the clouds, mountain, ladder, and rainbow are all Marian symbols. The Ladder: “Hail, Heavenly Ladder, on which God has descended ” (Akathist); this symbolizes Mary giving birth to the heavenly Jesus as a being on earth, in human flesh.

Marian is a given name, either derived from Maria (female) or Marius (male). In Slovak, and sometimes in Czech, the name is spelled Marián.

Antiphon was apparently the first to compose speeches for other litigants and thus the first to write them down. His clients included well‐known political figures and foreign allies of Athens. We have six complete works: three courtroom speeches and three Tetralogies.

Antiphons are passages (usually from Scripture) meant to be sung before and after verses from the Psalms or canticles of Holy Scripture. That likely sounds familiar because this is essentially how the Responsorial Psalm functions.

Pope Benedict XVI has stated that Marian studies have three separate characteristics: first personalizing the church so it is not seen just as a structure but as a person, secondly the incarnational aspect and the relation to God, and third Marian piety which involves the heart and the emotional component.