antiphons

Antiphons are short liturgical refrains, usually a verse or sentence, that are sung or recited before and after a psalm or canticle. They function to contextualize the text, highlight a liturgical theme, and link the psalm to a particular feast, season, or doctrinal message. In Christian worship, antiphons appear in both the Western and Eastern trad tions, across the Mass, the Divine Office, and other services.

Etymology traces the term to Greek roots meaning “before voice” or “in reply,” through Latin antiphona. In practice, an antiphon may be a fixed refrain for a given day or season, or it may be proper to a specific feast. It is distinct from the psalm itself and from the hymn; it provides a musical frame for the chant that follows or precedes it.

In the Roman Rite, antiphons are invoked in multiple contexts. Within the Mass, there are entrance, offertory, and communion antiphons that accompany the prescribed chants or readings. In the Divine Office (Liturgy of the Hours), antiphons bracket the psalms and canticles, reinforcing themes tied to the liturgical calendar. There are also special Marian antiphons—such as Alma Redemptoris Mater, Ave Regina Caelorum, and Salve Regina—used at various times of the year.

Across traditions, antiphons may be chanted, recited, or sung in a simple refrain, and they are often preserved in Gregorian chant notation. They continue to serve as sonic entry points that guide the faithful into the prayerful meditation of the psalms and hymns they accompany.