21 of December is a day of the winter solstice (in our Northern hemisphere, anyway) – the shortest, darkest, gloomiest day and the longest night. This, luckily, also means that the days become longer afterwards, so it is a promise of a new hope, a new light, a new beginning.

I thus find it is especially symbolic that of the seven pre-Christmas “O Antiphons” in the western christian tradition, the one for 21 of December refers to the dawning light and called “The Radiant Down” (“O Oriens” in Latin): 

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.

As a part of Harjun Kamarikuoro of Tampere, Finland we have sang this chant in Aleksanterinkirkko on 21 of December as a part of our Christmas concert.