Agnus Dei

This article is about an element of Western liturgy. For the Christian theological concept, seeLamb of God.For other uses of the term, seeAgnus Dei (disambiguation).

Thefractionrite at which theAgnus Deiis sung or said

Agnus Deiis the Latin name under which the "Lamb of God"is honoured withinChristian liturgiesdescending from the historicLatin liturgical tradition,including those ofRoman Catholicism,LutheranismandAnglicanism.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 centuryivory carving,Louvre.

The use of the title "Lamb of God" in liturgy is based onJohn 1:29,in whichSt. John the Baptist,upon seeingJesus,proclaims "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!"

Agnus Dei fromSchubert's Mass No. 2

Liturgical usage

Latin Catholic

TheSyriancustom of a chant addressed to the Lamb of God was introduced into theRoman RiteMassbyPope Sergius I(687–701)in the context of his rejection of theCouncil of Trulloof 692 (which was well received in theByzantineEast), whose canons had forbidden the iconographic depiction of Christ as a lamb instead of a man.

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.

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.

—Latin —English 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 aTridentineRequiem Mass,the words "miserere nobis"are replaced by"dona eis requiem"(grant them rest), while"dona nobis pacem"is replaced by"dona eis requiem sempiternam"(grant them eternal rest). Virtually everyMass settingincludes anAgnus Dei

Agnus Dei fromFauré'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 themHoly Communion,he says: "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. ")

Anglican

The following instances are found in theChurch of England'sBook of Common Prayer:

From "The Litany":

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":

Lamb of God, Son of the Father, that takest away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us.

The following versions are found inCommon Worship,the alternative Anglican liturgical resources, and also in theEpiscopal Church'sliturgical resources:

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.

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.

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 theLutheran Service Bookof theLutheran Church–Missouri Synodis:

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 amongEvangelical Protestantstradition is a rendition of the traditional Agnus Dei byMichael W. Smith.Based on a paraphrase ofRevelation 5,the words are

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)

AUkrainiantranslation was sung in 2015 inLviv, Ukraine,during theWar in the Donbassat an event organized byFranklin Graham.The song was notably sung again onEaster2022 in Lviv by a choir ofUkrainian refugeesfleeing theRusso-Ukrainian War.

In popular culture

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

• SeigmenforAgnus Dei
• Elliot GoldenthalforAlien 3
• Keiki Kobayashi forAce Combat 04: Shattered Skies
• Elitsa Alexandrova forAssassin's Creed Rogue
• Enyafor the song "Trains and Winter Rains"
• Halseyfor the song "Castle"
• Kuroshitsuji (Black Butler) soundtrack for episodes 17 and 18
• Jon BellionforOoh
• New Age Worldbeat groupEnigmafor the song "Agnus Dei"
• Rufus Wainrightfor the song "Agnus Dei" from the albumWant Two
• Mylène Farmer "Agnus Dei" (1991)
• Dream Theater for the song "Bridges in the Sky" from the albumA Dramatic Turn of Events
• Paul Ruskay forHomeworld
• Michael W. Smith "Agnus Dei" (1990)
• Britten'sWar Requiem,in which the text is interleaved withWilfred Owen's poem "At a Calvary near the Ancre"
• Power metal groupPowerwolffor the songAgnus Dei,intro of the albumBlood of the Saints.
• Dan Simmons' sci-fi novelHyperion,inserted as a sentence in the first chapter
• Matt Hylom in the outro for "Unfamiliar Faces" (2021)