View source for Agnus Dei

{{Short description|Christian prayer}}
{{about|an element of Western liturgy|the Christian theological concept|Lamb of God|other uses of the term|Agnus Dei (disambiguation)}}
[[File:Glenbeigh St. James' Church Nave Triple Window Agnus Dei 2012 09 09.jpg|thumb|[[Jesus]] represented as the Lamb of God (''Agnus Dei'')]]
[[File:Fractio-panis1.JPG|thumb|The [[Fraction (religion)|fraction]] rite at which the {{lang|la|Agnus Dei}} is sung or said]]
[[File:Agnus Dei, por Francisco de Zurbarán.jpg|thumb|Jesus represented as the Lamb of God by [[Francisco de Zurbarán]]]]
'''{{lang|la|Agnus Dei}}''' is the Latin name under which the "[[Lamb of God]]" is honoured within [[Christian liturgy|Christian liturgies]] descending from the historic [[Latin liturgical rites|Latin liturgical tradition]], including those of [[Catholic Church|Roman Catholicism]], [[Lutheranism]] and [[Anglicanism]]. It is the name given to a specific prayer that occurs in these liturgies, and is the name given to the music pieces that accompany the text of this prayer.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/harvarddictionar0004unse/page/28 |title=The Harvard Dictionary of Music |publisher=Belknap Press of Harvard University Press |year=2003 |isbn=0-674-01163-5 |editor-last=Randel |editor-first=Don Michael |edition=4th |location=Cambridge, Massachusetts |page=[https://archive.org/details/harvarddictionar0004unse/page/28 28]}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=The Earliest Settings of the Agnus Dei and Its Tropes|first=Charles Mercer|last=Atkinson|publisher=University of North Carolina|location=Chapel Hill|year=1975|page=14}}</ref>

[[File:Crozier lamb Louvre OA7267.jpg|thumb|13th century [[ivory carving]], [[Louvre]].]]
The use of the title "Lamb of God" in liturgy is based on {{bibleverse||John|1:29}}, in which [[John the Baptist|St. John the Baptist]], upon seeing [[Jesus]], proclaims "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!"

[[File:Schubert-mass in g. 6. agnus dei.ogg|right|thumb|Agnus Dei from [[Mass No. 2 (Schubert)|Schubert's Mass No. 2]]]]
== Liturgical usage ==

=== Latin Catholic ===
The [[Syriac Christianity|Syrian]] custom of a chant addressed to the Lamb of God was introduced into the [[Roman Rite]] [[Mass (liturgy)|Mass]] by [[Pope Sergius I]] (687–701)<ref name="Duffy2006">{{Cite book |last=Duffy |first=Eamon |url=https://archive.org/details/00book1593273669 |title=Saints & Sinners: A History of the Popes |publisher=Yale University Press |year=2006 |isbn=0-300-11597-0 |edition=3rd |location=New Haven |page=[https://archive.org/details/00book1593273669/page/84 84] |url-access=registration}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.orthodox.net/faq/weslives.htm |title=Lives of Orthodox Western Saints|author= Reader Daniel Lieuwen |publisher=St Nicholas Orthodox Church|location=McKinney, Texas}}</ref> in the context of his rejection of the [[Quinisext Council|Council of Trullo]] of 692 (which was well received in the [[Byzantine Empire|Byzantine]] [[Eastern Christianity|East]]), whose canons had forbidden the iconographic depiction of Christ as a lamb instead of a man.<ref name="Ekonomou2007">{{cite book|last=Ekonomou|first=Andrew J. |title=Byzantine Rome and the Greek Popes: Eastern Influences on Rome and the Papacy from Gregory the Great to Zacharias, A.D. 590–752|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zomZk6DbFTIC|year=2007|location=Lanham, Maryland|publisher=Lexington Books|isbn=978-0-7391-1977-8|page=223}}</ref> 
{{Verse translation
|{{lang|la|Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis.}}
{{lang|la|Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis.}}
{{lang|la|Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, dona nobis pacem.}}
|Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, grant us peace.
|attr1=Latin
|attr2=English translation<ref name="missal">{{cite web|url=https://www.usccb.org/committees/divine-worship/policies/mass-settings-texts#tab--lamb-of-god |title=Texts for Order of Mass Settings|publisher=International Committee on English in the Liturgy and United States Conference of Catholic Bishops}}</ref>
}}

The verse used in the first and second invocations may be repeated as many times as necessary whilst the celebrant prepares the host and wine for communion.<ref>{{cite book|title=[[General Instruction of the Roman Missal]]|at=§83|quote=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').}}</ref>

In a [[Tridentine Mass|Tridentine]] [[Requiem Mass]], the words "{{lang|la|miserere nobis}}" are replaced by "{{lang|la|dona eis requiem}}" (grant them rest), while "{{lang|la|dona nobis pacem}}" is replaced by "{{lang|la|dona eis requiem sempiternam}}" (grant them eternal rest). Virtually every [[Mass (music)|Mass setting]] includes an {{lang|la|Agnus Dei|italic=no}}
[[File:Fauré - Requiem - V. Agnus Dei.flac|right|thumb|Agnus Dei from [[Requiem (Fauré)|Fauré's Requiem]]]]

The priest uses the phrase "Lamb of God" again, later in the Mass. While displaying the Eucharistic species to the people before giving them [[Holy Communion]], he says: "{{lang|la|Ecce Agnus Dei, ecce qui tollit peccata mundi. Beati qui ad cenam Agni vocati sunt.}}" ("Behold the Lamb of God, behold Him who takes away the sins of the world. Blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb.")<ref name="missal" />{{rp|132}}

=== Anglican ===

The following instances are found in the [[Church of England]]'s [[Book of Common Prayer]]:

From "The Litany":
{{poemquote|O Lamb of God: that takest away the sins of the world; ''Grant us thy peace.''
O Lamb of God: that takest away the sins of the world; ''Have mercy upon us.''}}

From "Holy Communion":
{{poemquote|Lamb of God, Son of the Father, that takest away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us.}}

The following versions are found in ''[[Common Worship]],'' the alternative Anglican liturgical resources, and also in the [[Episcopal Church (United States)|Episcopal Church's]] liturgical resources:
{{poemquote|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.}}

{{poemquote|O Lamb of God, that takest away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us.
O Lamb of God, that takest away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us.
O Lamb of God, that takest away the sins of the world, grant us thy peace.}}

{{poemquote|Jesus, Lamb of God, have mercy on us.
Jesus, bearer of our sins, have mercy on us.
Jesus, redeemer of the world, grant us peace.}}

=== Lutheran ===

The version found in the [[Lutheran Service Book]] of the [[Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod]] is:
{{poemquote|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 Your peace, grant us Your peace.}}

=== Evangelical Protestants ===
A popular worship song among [[Evangelical Protestants]] is a reaction to the Lamb of God being seated on the throne in [[Revelation 5]] by [[Michael W. Smith]]. This version is response of praise to scene, while the other liturgical versions are prayers. 

The words are 

{{poemquote|Alleluia Alleluia
For our Lord God Almighty reigns
Alleluia Alleluia
For our Lord God Almighty reigns
Alleluia Holy

Holy
Are You Lord God Almighty
Worthy is the Lamb
Worthy is the Lamb
You are Holy}}
(Last stanza repeats 3 times)

A [[Ukrainian Language|Ukrainian]] translation was sung in 2015 in [[Lviv, Ukraine]], during the [[War in Donbas]]<ref>{{cite web
| url          = https://billygraham.org/story/christians-in-ukraine-after-festival-of-hope-great-and-mighty-is-our-god/
| title        = Christians in Ukraine After Festival of Hope: 'Great and Mighty Is Our God'
| last         = Chandler
| first        = Charles
| date         = 20 June 2015
| publisher    = [[Billy Graham Evangelistic Association]]
| access-date  = 4 April 2023
}}</ref> at an event organized by [[Franklin Graham]].  The song was notably sung again on [[Easter]] 2022 in Lviv by a choir of [[2022–2023 Ukrainian refugee crisis|Ukrainian refugees]] fleeing the [[Russo-Ukrainian War]].<ref>{{cite web
| url          = https://www.foxnews.com/video/6304218108001
| title        = Ukrainian choir composed of refugees celebrates Easter from Lviv
| date         = 17 April 2022
| publisher    = [[Fox News]]
| access-date  = 4 April 2023
}}</ref>

=== In popular culture ===

Outside religious use, the text has been used by composers and groups such as:

* [[Seigmen]] for ''Agnus Dei''
* [[Elliot Goldenthal]] for ''[[Alien 3 (soundtrack)|Alien 3]]''
* Keiki Kobayashi for ''[[Ace Combat 04: Shattered Skies]]''
* Elitsa Alexandrova for ''[[Assassin's Creed Rogue]]''
* [[Enya]] for the song "[[Trains and Winter Rains]]"
* [[Halsey (singer)|Halsey]] for the song "[[Castle (Halsey song)|Castle]]''"
* Kuroshitsuji (Black Butler) soundtrack for episodes 17 and 18
* [[Jon Bellion]] for ''Ooh''
* New Age Worldbeat group [[Enigma (German band)|Enigma]] for the song "Agnus Dei"
* [[Rufus Wainright]] for the song "Agnus Dei" from the album ''[[Want Two]]''
* Mylène Farmer "Agnus Dei" (1991)
* Dream Theater for the song "Bridges in the Sky" from the album ''[[A Dramatic Turn of Events]]''
* Paul Ruskay for ''[[Homeworld]]''
* Michael W. Smith "Agnus Dei" (1990)
* Britten's ''[[War Requiem]]'', in which the text is interleaved with [[Wilfred Owen]]'s poem "[[At a Calvary near the Ancre]]"
* Power metal group [[Powerwolf]] for the song ''Agnus Dei'', intro of the album ''[[Blood of the Saints]]''.<ref>{{Citation |title=Powerwolf – Opening: Agnus Dei |url=https://genius.com/Powerwolf-opening-agnus-dei-lyrics |access-date=2024-08-10}}</ref>
* [[Dan Simmons]]' sci-fi novel [[Hyperion (Simmons novel)|Hyperion]], inserted as a sentence in the first chapter
* Matt Hylom in the outro for "Unfamiliar Faces" (2021)
* [[Adam Sporka]] composed "Agnus Dei" for [[Kingdom Come: Deliverance]] (2018). [[Jan Valta]] composed "Agnus Dei" for [[Kingdom Come: Deliverance II]] (2025).

== References ==
{{Commons category|Agnus Dei (mass)}}
{{Reflist}}

{{CatholicMass|collapsed}}
{{Catholic Prayers}}

[[Category:Christian liturgical music]]
[[Category:Latin religious words and phrases]]
[[Category:Order of Mass]]