Agnus Dei (liturgy) The Agnus Dei is part of nearly all settings by composers of sung masses. 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. 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). Agnus Dei (liturgy) In the Mass of the Roman Rite
Agnus Dei (Barber) to a tension. A similar pattern follows in measures 5 to 8 on the words "qui tollis peccata mundi" (who takes away the sins of the world), moving down on "peccata mundi". The repetition of the call "Agnus Dei" is set as variation of the beginning, intensified by upward leaps of fifths and octaves, and by the solo soprano reaching the highest note of the piece, C-flat. Then the alto takes over the melody, marked "più f[orte] sempre espressivo" (somewhat stronger and always expressive), while the soprano sings "miserere nobis" (have mercy on us) for the first time on a