Judith McManis

Judith McManis created this set of banners for the Cathedral Church of Saint Paul in Burlington, Vermont. The banners were inspired by the ‘Great O Antiphons of Advent’,’ the text of which has been set many times over the centuries. Probably the most familiar of these settings is in The Hymnal 1982 at no. 56 –‘O Come, O Come, Emmanuel’ which contains the seven most often used. They date from the ninth century at least and some liturgical historians ascribe them to St. Gregory the Great in the sixth century. Although their number has varied, by the Middle Ages seven antiphons were universally accepted, the key words of which, when reversed in order, form an acrostic that fits beautifully into the season: ERO CRAS – “I shall be (with you) tomorrow.” The dates indicated for the use of each antiphon vary as well but conventional practice for centuries has been to begin on December 17. Using this schedule places the ‘O Oriens’ (Rising Dawn) antiphon on December 21, the shortest day of the year!

The banners were intended to be viewed in a rather unconventional order: far left is 1st, far right is 2nd, next left is 3rd, next right is 4th, third from left is 5th, third from right is 6th and center is seventh. When we use them in the service, each has a candle lighted to mark attention to it and a small spotlight is turned on to brighten the viewing of it. The Antiphons, of course, progress to the ‘Emmanuel’ one at the center. Click here to see the text of the O Antiphons in order with a key to finding them on the banner.

Before setting out on this visual journey, look at the bottom section of each panel. The Cosmos, the Great Beginning, the Mysterious Unknown, layered with earth, then with life (grass) underlies all that soars above.

My journey with the Antiphons has just begun. These banners were inspired by the text, of course, but also by the many settings of that text by artists and musicians over the centuries. Their music has lifted my journey from an academic process to one of pure joy. I am thankful for the encouragement and support of Canon Presenter, Dr. Mark Howe and many others here at The Cathedral Church of St. Paul, Burlington, VT, in commissioning of these visual expressions of the message of the “O’s”.

These banners were assembled from a wide variety of fabrics and sewn together, both by machine and hand-sewing methods. They each measure 4 x 8 feet and are displayed at varying heights, rising to the middle, which is 11’ from the floor.

Judith McManis has been creating Liturgical Art for more than three decades. The work has been a long-standing passion of hers and is reflected in her business name: Laudata (‘the praised one’). Many of her earlier pieces were commissioned by St. John’s Episcopal Church in Waterbury, CT, and the clergy serving there over the years. After retiring from a career of teaching Studio Art and Humanities in Connecticut, she now lives in the Burlington area with her Jack Russell Terrier, Jasper.

Judith McManis
Email: mcmanis@surfglobal.net

Parish: The Cathedral Church of St. Paul, Burlington, Vermont