O Virgo virginum - The Great O Antiphons

The Great O Antiphons are a series of short verses which count down the days to Christmas Eve. Sung at the beginning and end of the Magnificat during Evensong, each antiphon begins with a different name for Jesus. They draw on Scripture to help us learn about who Jesus will be, as predicted by the prophets.

At Westminster Abbey, these antiphons are sung at Evensong from the 17th to 23rd of December. This year, we have recorded a final antiphon from the series which focuses on Mary.

Text
O Virgo virginum,
quomodo fiet istud?
Quia nec primam similem visa es
nec habere sequentem.
Filiae Jerusalem,
quid me admiramini?
Divinum est mysterium
hoc quod cernitis.

Translation
O Virgin of virgins,
how shall this be?
for neither before thee was any like thee,
nor shall there be after.
Daughters of Jerusalem,
why marvel ye at me?
The thing which ye behold
is a divine mystery.