A European Informational Website
learn more
Agnus Dei is a Latin term meaning Lamb of God, and was originally used to refer to Jesus Christ in his role of the perfect sacrificial offering that atones for the sins of humanity in Christian theology, harkening back to ancient Jewish Temple sacrifices. See Lamb of God for an explanation of this. Agnus Dei is used to refer to several things related to it.
In ecclesiastical art, an Agnus Dei is a representation of Jesus as a lamb bearing a cross. It is also a tablet of wax stamped with a representation of Jesus as a lamb bearing a cross, then blessed by the Supreme Pontiff as a sacramental.
The Moravian church uses an Agnus Dei as their seal with the surrounding inscription Vicit agnus noster, eum sequamur ("Our Lamb has conquered, let us follow him.").
In the Mass of the Roman Rite, the Agnus Dei is the invocation to the Lamb of God sung or recited during the fraction of the Host.[1] It is said to have been introduced into the Mass by Pope Sergius I (687–701).
Based upon John the Baptist's reference in to Jesus as the Lamb of God, the text in Latin is:
Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis. Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis. Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, dona nobis pacem.
Translation (as currently used in many English-speaking churches) Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world, have mercy on us. Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world, have mercy on us. Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world, grant us peace.
The General Instruction of the Roman Missal, 83 states: "The supplication Agnus Dei, is, as a rule, sung by the choir or cantor with the congregation responding; or it is, at least, recited aloud. This invocation accompanies the fraction and, for this reason, may be repeated as many times as necessary until the rite has reached its conclusion, the last time ending with the words dona nobis pacem (grant us peace)."
Historically, in Requiem Masses, the first two invocations ended with "dona eis requiem" (give them rest) instead of "miserere nobis", and the last with "dona eis requiem sempiternam" (give them rest eternal).
The priest again uses the phrase "Lamb of God", in a more complete quotation from , when displaying the consecrated Host (or the Host and Chalice) to the people before giving them Holy Communion. He says: "Ecce Agnus Dei, ecce qui tollit peccata mundi" ("Behold the Lamb of God, behold him who taketh away the sins of the world.")
Famous composers have set to at times elaborate music this part of the Ordinary of the Mass.
The Agnus Dei chant also appears in the Eucharistic liturgies of other Communions. Lutherans and (usually) Anglicans almost always use it prior to or at the beginning of the administration of Holy Communion. Lutheran celebrants will often genuflect at the beginning of the three phrases.
In the Book of Common Prayer of The Episcopal Church, the Agnus Dei is listed (along with Pascha Nostrum) as one of several Fraction Anthems that may be used at the breaking of the bread. A Requiem Mass substitutes the final phrase with "grant them rest."
This liturgical text has been set to music by many composers, usually as part of a Mass setting, but sometimes it stands alone, e.g. it is the lyrics for the choral arrangement of Samuel Barber's Adagio for Strings.
Agnus Dei is also the name of several other songs, which may not have the traditional words: