“O Radiant Dawn”—An Advent Antiphon“

For Sunday, December 21, 2025
O Radiant Dawn by James MacMillan

By David Jolliffe

At the 11 am service on December 21, the St. Paul’s Choir will sing the hauntingly beautiful “O Radiant Dawn” by the contemporary Scottish composer James MacMillan (born in 1959).  The piece owes its lineage to the fifth of the eight “O Antiphons,” performed by choirs in Roman Catholic and Anglican churches for centuries.

An antiphon a short verse, often from scripture, sung or recited before and after psalms or canticles in Christian liturgy, originating from responsive (call-and-response) singing between two choirs, creating an "alternate chant" for specific liturgical moments, such as the last week before Christmas.  The “O Antiphons” were composed to accompany the Magnificat in Evening Prayer services from December 17 through December 23.

The lyrics MacMillan calls upon in “O Radiant Dawn” come directly from the antiphon for December 21:

O Radiant Dawn,
splendor of eternal light, sun of justice,
come and shine on those who dwell in darkness and in the
shadow of death.

In his composition, MacMillan offers a sublime contemporary perspective on the ancient antiphon, drawing on both the music of his Roman Catholic faith and on traditional Scottish tunes.  Like all the “O Antiphons,” MacMillan’s piece fosters a magnificent theology, using ancient biblical imagery drawn from the messianic hopes of the Old Testament to proclaim the coming of Christs as the fulfillment not only of Old Testament hopes but present ones as well.