CNP Feedback - Agnus Dei

The "Feedback Box" on the CanticaNOVA Publications website has proven quite effective in promoting communications on a variety of subjects, and expressing concerns of liturgists and musicians. From time to time, we'll compile a few of these questions or comments and put them in public view, with the hope that others with similar concerns may benefit from their content.

Q. Dear CNP:

How many times does the Lamb of God have to be sung? Does it have to be at least 3 times? We know that it is supposed to cover the fraction rite. We are a relatively small church. Once two verses are sung, the priest is standing at the altar ready to proceed. I know that we could sing as many verses as it takes to cover the fraction rite. But does it have to be a certain amount? Some say two verses, some say that it absolutely has to be three verses.

Is there anything that says that the words have to be the Lamb of God for anything but the first verse? Are there specific words that have to be used for the last time that it is sung?

– Confused about the Reps

A. Dear Confused:

Here's some information on the Agnus Dei (Lamb of God).

>From the 2002 GIRM (Preface to the Sacramentary)

#83.  The supplication Agnus Dei, is, as a rule, sung by the choir or cantor with the congregation responding; or it is, at least, recited aloud. This invocation accompanies the fraction and, for this reason, may be repeated as many times as necessary until the rite has reached its conclusion, the last time ending with the words dona nobis pacem (grant us peace).

BREAKING OF THE BREAD
    The following is sung or said:

Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world:  have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world:  have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world:  grant us peace.

    This may be repeated until the breaking of the bread is finished, but the last phrase is always, "Grant us peace."

Confusion has arisen (not just in your parish) because of the following lines from Liturgical Music Today, a 1982 set of guidelines compiled by the U.S. Bishops' Committee on the Liturgy. These guidelines do not have the legal weight of the universal Vatican documents mentioned above.

From Liturgical Music Today (1982)

#20.  The Lamb of God achieves greater significance at Masses when a larger sized eucharistic bread is broken for distribution and, when communion is given under both kinds, chalices must be filled. The litany is prolonged to accompany this action of breaking and pouring. In this case one should not hesitate to add tropes to the litany so that the prayerfulness of the rite may be enriched.

This was written in the U.S. at a time when the fraction rite could possibly take quite some time, due to the use of a very large host and the practice (now banned) of pouring the Precious Blood into several chalices or cups during the Lamb of God. This committee proposed extending the Lamb of God by adding other phrases, like "Bread of Life," "Prince of Peace," "Son of God," "King of Kings." These are the tropes (added texts) spoken of in #20 of LMT. There is no evidence that this committee sought or received approval from Rome for this apparent alteration of the text of the Mass. As intriguing and logical as this practice might sound, there seems to be no authorization to add extra texts to the Lamb of God — or to change those given in the Sacramentary.

Many contemporary Mass settings in the 1980s and 90s added tropes to the Lamb of God. The music still exists in many hymnals and missalettes. It should not be sung as written.

In your parish, though, you don't seem to have the problem of covering extra time at the breaking of the bread. It should not take long to distribute the consecrated hosts to the various ciboria that will be used in the Communion of the faithful. The former practice of consecrating the wine in a large pitcher or flagon and then pouring it into cups for distribution is now banned in the Vatican document, Redemptionis Sacramentum (2004), [see paragraphs 105 & 106]. The wine is now poured into small chalices at the Preparation of the Gifts; it is consecrated in those chalices, together with the wine in the celebrant's larger chalice.

1. How many times does the Lamb of God have to be sung?
   • Generally three.
      
2. Does it have to be at least 3 times?
   • Yes.
      
3. We know that it is supposed to cover the fraction rite. We are a relatively small church. Once two verses are sung, the priest is standing at the altar ready to proceed. I know that we could sing as many verses as it takes to cover the fraction rite.
   • The number of repetitions (3) is intentional. Note the parallel to the Kyrie ("Lord, have mercy"), which also has three invocations directed to Jesus [the Kyrie is not Trinitarian in outlook — each of the three petitions is addressed to Our Savior Jesus Christ].
      
4. But does it have to be a certain amount? Some say two verses, some say that it absolutely has to be three verses.
   • There is no legitimacy to singing (or saying) the Lamb of God twice, rather than three times, even if the action at the altar is completed.
      
5. Is there anything that says that the words have to be the Lamb of God for anything but the first verse?
   • The Sacramentary [see above] gives the precise text to be used. For those places in the Sacramentary where text alterations or changes are allowed, it clearly says, "In these or similar words," like at the celebrant's introduction to the Penitential Rite. Unless specifically mentioned and allowed, no changes are acceptable, like at the Lamb of God.
      
6. Are there specific words that have to be used for the last time that it is sung?
   • If the Lamb of God invocation ("Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world...") is sung three times, or more than three times, the last repetition always ends, "Grant us peace."

On adding tropes to the Agnus Dei

Worthy Is the Lamb