Agnus Dei (music) Agnus Dei (music) Agnus Dei, referring to the Christian theological concept of the Lamb of God and the associated liturgical text from the Roman Catholic Latin Mass, has been set to music by many composers, as it is normally one of the movements or sections in a sung Mass setting. However, sometimes it stands alone, e.g. it provides the lyrics for Samuel Barber's "Agnus Dei", the choral arrangement of his "Adagio for Strings". The Agnus Dei is a setting of the "Lamb of God" litany, based on John the Baptist's reference in to Jesus ("Behold the Lamb of God that
Fraction anthem in 1980 lists two fraction anthems for Rite A, the Pascha Nostrum and the Agnus Dei. For Rite B only "Christ our Passover" (Pascha Nostrum) is listed, although the Agnus Dei is often used as well. However, in both rites other appropriate texts may be substituted. The Hymnal 1982 includes a rich palette of congregational settings of fraction anthems, ranging from traditional plainchant to settings by modern composers. Fraction anthem A fraction anthem is a text spoken or sung during the Christian rite of Holy Eucharist, at the point when the celebrant breaks the consecrated bread. The term is used