In Paradisum

The antiphon “In paradisum” is one of those unique chants in the Western liturgical repertoire which is not exactly liturgical, per se, but is liturgy-adjacent. It’s sung at the very conclusion of the Requiem Mass (Mass for the dead), when the body of the deceased is being borne from the church to the grave. The composer of the text and music is unknown, and I’ve had a hard time tracking down even what century it entered the service books. Its provenance seems shrouded in mystery, but its message is so powerfully universal.

The words to the chant are:

In paradisum deducant te Angeli; in tuo adventu suscipiant te martyres, et perducant te in civitatem sanctam Ierusalem. Chorus angelorum te suscipiat, et cum Lazaro quondam paupere æternam habeas requiem.

Into paradise may the Angels lead thee; at thy coming, may the martyrs receive thee, and bring thee into the holy city Jerusalem. May the choir of Angels receive thee, and with Lazarus, who was once poor, mayest thou have eternal rest.

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Ad te levavi

Ad te levavi animam meam, or “Unto thee lift I up my soul” is the first chant of the first Sunday of the first season of the liturgical year in the West. This Introit (Entrance Chant) comes from Psalm 25 (24) and is meant to set the tone not just for this Sunday’s Mass, but for the whole season of Advent. What is it about the character of this psalm that makes it appropriate for this season?

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A Western Rite Album

As Western Rite churches and organizations continue to build up resources, one that deserves more attention is an album of choral music recorded by St. Patrick Orthodox Church in Bealeton, VA. This album’s the first of its kind (that I know of), providing an actual example of what a good Western Rite Orthodox choir can sound like. Scores and hymnals are well and good, but here in this recording is what the music sounds like, what it’s meant to be.

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