An Advent Wreath Service for the Domestic Church

We Orthodox (I still call myself Orthodox even though I am unable to commune for the past few years; a situation that will be rectified before this time next year) don't do as much during the Nativity Fast (In the west it is called Advent) as we do during Great Lent.  Pretty much, all we do is,  beginning on November 15, abstain from wine, oil, meat, fish, dairy, and sex.  Positively we give more secret alms and there are the two services on the two Sundays preceding the Feast of the Nativity of the Lord Jesus Christ According to the Flesh. (In the west it is called Christmas).  Oh, there is also the Feast of the Entrance of the Theotokos into the Temple but other than that there isn't much that is different about this time of year; very unlike Great Lent in the Spring which is totally jam packed with stuff.

So, what can a person do to get the most out this time of year.  Well, if you have little children there are many books you can read to them.  My children are not little anymore so
we are doing something new this year.  We are reading one chapter of the Gospel of Luke each day from December 1 through December 24.  This way we will have read the entire Gospel in preparation for Christmas.

Another thing is the Advent Wreath.  We use the "O Antiphons" of the western Church.  Each night  light another candle, face the Icon, pray "O Heavenly King...", read the texts, and sing the song.  The author of the O Antiphons is not known, but Boethius mentioned them in the early 6th century, and there is no record of them ever not being sung in the western Church.  We are not dogmatic about how to do the Advent Wreath.  WWe have done it on the seven Sundays leading up to Christmas.  We have done it on the seven days leading up to Christmas.  Sometimes, like this year we do it when the kids are here.   Who reads what?  We just take turns.  Usually, I read the Latin, and everyone else reads the other readings, and we all sing the carol.  Then we blow out the candle and go to bed.

Below is the text we use.

1st Candle

Prayer: O Heavenly King, the Comforter, the Spirit of Truth, Who art everywhere and fillest all things; Treasury of Blessings, and Giver of Life - come and abide in us, and cleanse us from every impurity, and save our souls, O Good One.

Readings: Isaiah 11:2-3; 28:29, Proverbs 8:1-36, John 1:1-5

Latin: O Sapientia, quae ex ore Altissimi prodidisti, attingens a fine usque ad finem, fortiter suaviter disponensque omnia: veni ad docendum nos viam prudentiae.

English: O Wisdom, who came from the mouth of the Most High, reaching from end to end and ordering all things mightily and sweetly: come, and teach us the way of prudence.

Carol: O Come, Thou Wisdom, from on high,

and order all things far and nigh;

to us the path of knowledge show,

and teach us in her ways to go.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel!

2nd Candle

Prayer: O Heavenly King, the Comforter, the Spirit of Truth, Who art everywhere and fillest all things; Treasury of Blessings, and Giver of Life - come and abide in us, and cleanse us from every impurity, and save our souls, O Good One.

Readings: Exodus 3:2, Isaiah 33:22; 63:11-12, Micah 6:4, Acts 7:30-31

Latin: O Adonai, et Dux domus Israel, qui Moysi in igne flammae rubi apparuisti, et ei in Sina legem dedisti: veni ad redimendum nos in brachio extento.

English: O Adonai, and Leader of the house of Israel, Who didst appear to Moses in the flame of the burning bush, and didst give unto him the Law on Sinai: come and with an outstretched arm redeem us.

Carol: O Come, O Come, Thou Lord of might,

who to thy tribes on Sinai's height

in ancient times didst give the law,

in cloud, and majesty, and awe.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel!

3rd Candle 

O Heavenly King, the Comforter, the Spirit of Truth, Who art everywhere and fillest all things; Treasury of Blessings, and Giver of Life - come and abide in us, and cleanse us from every impurity, and save our souls, O Good One.

Readings: Isaiah 11:1, 10, Isaiah 52:15, Romans 15:12

Latin: O Radix Jesse, qui stas in signum populorum, super quem continebunt reges os suum, quem Gentes deprecabuntur: veni ad liberandum nos, jam noli tardare.

English: O Root of Jesse, Who dost stand for an ensign of the people, before Whom kings shall keep silence, and unto Whom the Gentiles shall make their supplication: come to deliver us, and tarry not.

Carol: O Come, Thou Rod of Jesse's stem,

from ev'ry foe deliver them

that trust Thy mighty power to save,

and give them vict'ry o'er the grave.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel!

4th Candle O Heavenly King, the Comforter, the Spirit of Truth, Who art everywhere and fillest all things; Treasury of Blessings, and Giver of Life - come and abide in us, and cleanse us from every impurity, and save our souls, O Good One.

Readings: Revelation 3:7, Isaiah 22:22, Jeremiah 13:13; 51:19, Matthew 4:16; 16:19, Luke 1:79

Latin: O Clavis David, et sceptrum domus Israel; qui aperis, et nemo claudit; claudis, et nemo aperit: veni, et educ vinctum de domo carceris, sedentem in tenebris, et umbra mortis.

English: O Key of David and Sceptre of the house of Israel, Who dost open and no man doth shut, Who dost shut and no man doth open, come and bring forth from his prison house the captive that sitteth in darkness and in the shadow of death.

Carol: O Come, Thou Key of David, come,

and open wide our heav'nly home,

make safe the way that leads on high,

that we no more have cause to sigh.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel!

5th Candle O Heavenly King, the Comforter, the Spirit of Truth, Who art everywhere and fillest all things; Treasury of Blessings, and Giver of Life - come and abide in us, and cleanse us from every impurity, and save our souls, O Good One.

Readings: Isaiah 9:1; 58:8; 60:18-20, Malachi 4:2, Luke 1:78-79, John 8:12, Revelation 22:16

Latin: O Oriens, splendor lucis æternæ, et sol justitiæ: veni, et illumina sedentes in tenebris, et umbra mortis.

English: O Dawn of the East, Brightness of the Light Eternal and Sun of Justice, come and enlighten them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death.

Carol: O Come, Thou Dayspring from on high,

and cheer us by thy drawing nigh;

disperse the gloomy clouds of night

and death's dark shadow put to flight.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel!

6th Candle O Heavenly King, the Comforter, the Spirit of Truth, Who art everywhere and fillest all things; Treasury of Blessings, and Giver of Life - come and abide in us, and cleanse us from every impurity, and save our souls, O Good One.

Readings: Isaiah 2:4; 11:10, Psalm 47:8; Jeremiah 10:7, Daniel 7:14; Haggai 2:8

Romans 15:12, Ephesians 2:14, 20

Latin: O Rex Gentium, et desideratus earum, lapisque angularis, qui facis utraque unum: veni, et salva hominem, quem de limo formasti.

English: O King of the Gentiles and the Desired of them, Thou Cornerstone that dost make both one, come and deliver man, whom Thou didst form out of the dust of the earth.

Carol: O Come, Desire of the nations, bind

in one the hearts of all mankind;

bid every strife and quarrel cease

and fill the world with heaven's peace.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel!

7th Candle

O Heavenly King, the Comforter, the Spirit of Truth, Who art everywhere and fillest all things; Treasury of Blessings, and Giver of Life - come and abide in us, and cleanse us from every impurity, and save our souls, O Good One.

 Readings:   Isaiah 7:14, Matthew 1:23, 1 Timothy 4:9

Latin: O Emmanuel, Rex et legifer noster, exspectatio gentium, et Salvator earum: veni ad salvandum nos Domine Deus noster.

English: O Emmanuel, our King and Lawgiver, the Expected of the Nations and their Saviour, come to save us, O Lord our God.

Carol: O Come, O Come, Emmanuel,

and ransom captive Israel,

that mourns in lonely exile here

until the Son of God appear.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel!