Agnus Dei

Jesus represented as the Lamb of God (Agnus Dei)

The fraction rite at which the Template:Lang is sung or said

Jesus represented as the Lamb of God by Francisco de Zurbarán

Template:Lang is the Latin name under which the "Lamb of God" is honoured within Christian liturgies descending from the historic Latin liturgical tradition, including those of 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.

13th century ivory carving, Louvre.

The use of the title "Lamb of God" in liturgy is based on Template:Bibleverse, in which 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

Liturgical usage

Latin Catholic

The Syrian custom of a chant addressed to the Lamb of God was introduced into the Roman Rite Mass by Pope Sergius I (687–701) in the context of his rejection of the Council of Trullo of 692 (which was well received in the Byzantine East), whose canons had forbidden the iconographic depiction of Christ as a lamb instead of a man. Template:Verse translation

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.

In a Tridentine Requiem Mass, the words "Template:Lang" are replaced by "Template:Lang" (grant them rest), while "Template:Lang" is replaced by "Template:Lang" (grant them eternal rest). Virtually every Mass setting includes an Template:Lang File:Fauré - Requiem - V. Agnus Dei.flac

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: "Template:Lang" ("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.")Template:Rp

Anglican

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

From "The Litany": Template:Poemquote

From "Holy Communion": Template:Poemquote

The following versions are found in Common Worship, the alternative Anglican liturgical resources, and also in the Episcopal Church's liturgical resources: Template:Poemquote

Lutheran

The version found in the Lutheran Service Book of the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod is: Template:Poemquote

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

Template:Poemquote (Last stanza repeats 3 times)

A Ukrainian translation was sung in 2015 in Lviv, Ukraine, during the War in Donbas at an event organized by Franklin Graham. The song was notably sung again on Easter 2022 in Lviv by a choir of Ukrainian refugees fleeing the Russo-Ukrainian War.

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
• Keiki Kobayashi for Ace Combat 04: Shattered Skies
• Elitsa Alexandrova for Assassin's Creed Rogue
• Enya for the song "Trains and Winter Rains"
• Halsey for the song "Castle"
• Kuroshitsuji (Black Butler) soundtrack for episodes 17 and 18
• Jon Bellion for Ooh
• New Age Worldbeat group 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.
• Dan Simmons' sci-fi 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).