O Key of David - Banner
Author/Artist: The Benedictine Sisters of Turvey Abbey
December 20th :
'O Key of David, and sceptre of the house of Israel, who open and none may close, who close and none may open, come and bring out of prison the captive who sits in darkness and the shadow of death.'
'O Clavis David, et sceptrum domus Israel:
qui aperia, et nemo claudit; claudis. et nemo aperit:
veni, et edu vinctum de domo carceris,
sedentem in tenebris et umbra mortis.'
The text is based on Revelation 3:7, recalling Isaiah 22:20-22 amd 42:7. For the Jewish people the key or sceptre of David was depicted as a 6-pointed star, which was a symbol of God and of the Messiah. A clear reference of this is found in Numeri 24:17, and in the star which led the Magi to Bethlehem (Matthew 2:2).
The key, the sceptre, the star is Christ who through his death and resurrection opened the gates of hell. The banner is based on the Eastern 'Anastasis', showing Christ victoriously rising from the tomb, trampling the gates of death underfoot and pulling Adam and Eve out of their graves, and with them the whole human race.
'O-Antiphons':
A highlight of the Church's Advent Liturgy are the O-Antiphons. From December 17th-23rd they frame the Magnificat at Vespers.
Rich in symbolism and meaning they take us right from the beginning of creation, through the centuries of the world's waiting for the promised Messiah, calling upon him who was hidden in signs and symbols, and revealed when the fullness of time had come, leading us to the Mystery of the Incarnation and beyond, to the Paschal Mystery, the coming of the Holy Spirit and the Parousia.
The exact origin of the Latin texts is unknown. They may date from the sixth century. There is evidence to suggest that the texts were in liturgical use in Rome in the eighth century. Both the original Latin texts and an English translation are given here.
Arriving at the 7th Antiphon on December 23rd, we may discover that the letters of the Latin invocations, read from the last up to the first, form a wonderful acrostic, like God's answer to our prayer:
Sapienta
Adonai
Radix Jesse
Clavis David
Oriens
Rex Gentium
Emmanuel
ERO CRAS : I WILL BE HERE TOMORROW
These banners are reproduced using a dye sublimation printing process on a heavy opaque natural close-weave material that hangs well. The colours are fade resistant under normal lighting conditions. All banners are supplied with a hanging cord, rods and end caps top and bottom. An extra depth of approx. 12" should be allowed when measuring to allow for hanging cord. A sample of the material can be supplied upon request.
Dimensions: 52" x 24" ('A' format) - price: £130.00 + vat. Other sizes available - see options below:
