Antiphona 2

From Apocalypse 7:11-12, this antiphon describes the angelic worship that surrounds the saints in glory. The angels 'stabant in circuitu throni' (stood round about the throne), then 'ceciderunt in facies suas' (fell upon their faces) - the prostration of pure spirits before the Majesty reveals that even sinless beings acknowledge their creaturehood. The phrase 'adoraverunt Deum' expresses the latria due to God alone, distinguishing heavenly worship from the veneration given to saints. At Lauds, this antiphon positions the earthly Church's morning prayer within the perpetual liturgy of heaven: we join our voices to the angelic chorus, the 'gloria in excelsis' that never ceases. The cumulative structure (standing, then falling, then adoring) teaches that worship deepens through humility.