Latin Lesson VI

This week the lesson will cover the three most common ordinary chants of the Mass – the Kyrie, Sanctus, and Agnus Dei. Even in the Novus Ordo these chants can be sung in Latin and are being done that way in many parishes. With the new translation, the English is a much more faithful rendering of the original language.  There are several simplified chants available for both Latin and English versions.

The Kyrie, of course, is not Latin, but Greek. However, the pronunciation rules given earlier apply to this prayer as well. The following texts will be supplied without phonetic markings this time to test how much readers can do on their own. If anyone is really uncertain of how to pronounce any of the words, he can refer to the first two lessons and check against the rules given there.

Kyrie eleison. 

Christe, eleison.

Kyrie eleison.

[Each line is said three times in an EF Mass;

twice in the ordinary form.]

Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus,

Dominus Deus sabaoth.

Pleni sunt coeli et terra; Gloria tua.

Hosanna in excelsis.

Benedictus qui venit in nomine domini;

hosanna in excelsis.

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.

 (remember how “gn” sounds in Latin)

Next time: The Credo in Latin and English.

Here are some resources for anyone who would like to pursue church Latin further.  All books are available at Amazon.com.

Scanlon, Cora and Charles, Latin Grammar for the Reading of the Missal and Breviary, TAN Books, Charlotte, N.C.

Collins, John F., A Primer of Ecclesiastical Latin, The Catholic University of America Press.

Stelten, Leo,  Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Hendrickson Publishers. 

Latin Lesson V

This week we will try two more familiar prayers in Latin: The Pater Noster (Our Father) and the Gloria of the Mass.

Since the new translation has come out, the English of the Gloria is almost a literal translation of the original Latin. Despite perceptions to the contrary, the Novus Ordo Mass was written in Latin, may still be said (indeed, is encouraged to be done) in Latin, and follows closely the Latin of the Traditional Latin Mass in the main parts of the Ordinary (Kyrie, Gloria, Sanctus, etc.)

It is Lent, so the Gloria is not said or sung for the next five weeks – until Holy Thursday – but it is used in most seasons throughout the liturgical year, and choirs are encouraged to sing it either in the new English chants or in Latin, even when the Mass is in the vernacular.

Remember in the phonetics that accompany these prayers, syllables in all capital letters are the accented syllables. Also, at the end of words or in unaccented syllables, the “ay” sound for “e” is more likely to be shortened, especially when spoken rather than sung. It will become more like “eh,” as Panem (PAH-nehm).

Pater Noster

Pater Noster, qui es in caelis,

(PAH tayr NOHS-tayr kwee ays in CHAY-lees)

sanctificetur nomen tuum.

(sahnk-tee-fee-CHAY-toor NOH-mayn TOO-oom)

Adveniat regnum tuum,

(ahd-VAY-nee-aht RAYN-yoom TOO-oom),

fiat voluntas tua,

(FEE-aht voh-LOON-tahs TOO-ah)

sicut in caelo, et in terra.

(SEE-koot in CHAY-loh ayt in TAY-rah)

Panem nostrum cotidianum 

(PAH-naym NOHS-troom koh-tee-dee-AH-noom) 

da nobis hodie;

(dah NO-bees  HOH-dee-ay)

et dimitte nobis debita nostra

Ayt dim-MITT-tay NOH-bees DAYH-bee-tah NOHS-trah)

Sicut et nos dimittimus

(SEE-koot ayt nohs dim-Mitt-tim-moos)

debitoribus nostris

(day-beet-TOHR-ee-boos NOHS-trees)

Et ne nos inducas in tentationem,

(ayt nay nohs in-DOO-kahs in tayn-tahnt-see-OH-naym)

Sed libera nos a malo. Amen

(Sayd LEE-bay-ra nohs ah MAH-loh. AH-mayn)


Here's a chant version in both English (first) and Latin (starting at about the one-minute mark) - the pronunciation is very clear. 

Gloria in Excelsis

Gloria in excelsis Deo,

(GLOH-ree-ah in eks-CHAYL-sees Day-oh)

et in terra pax hominibus

(ayt in TAYR-rah pahks hoh-MEE-nee-boos)

bonae voluntatis

(BOH-nay volh-loon-TAH-tees)

Laudamus te,

(low-DAH-moos tay)

benedicimus te,

(bay-nay-DEE-chee-moos tay)

adoramus te, glorificamus te,

(ah doh-RAH-moos te, gloh-ree-fee-KAH-moos tay)

Gratias agimus tibi,

(GRAHT-see-ahs AH-jee moos TEE-bee)

propter magnam gloriam tuam.

PROHP-tayr MAHN-yam GLO-ree-ahm TOO-ahm)

Domine Deus, Rex caelestis,

(DOH-mee-nay DAY-oos rayks chay-LAYS-tees)

Deus Pater omnipotens.

(DAY-oos PAH-tayr ohm-NEE-poh-tayns)

Domine Fili unigenite,

(DOH-mee-nay FEE-lee oo-nee-JAY-nee tay)

Jesu Christe,

(YAY-soo KREES-tay)

Domine Deus, Agnus Dei,

(DOH-mee-nay DAY-oos, AHN,yoos DAY-dee)

Filius Patris,

(FEE-lee-oos PAHT-rees)

qui tollis peccata mundi,

(kwee TOHL-lees Payk-KAH-tah MOON-dee)

Miserere nobis

(mee-say-RAY-ray NOH-bees)

qui tollis peccata mundi,

(kwee TOHL-lees payk-KAH-nah, MOON-dee)

suscipe deprecationem nostrum

(SOO-shee-pay day-pray-kah-see-OH-naym NOHS-tram)

Qui sedes ad dexteram Patris,

(kwee SAY-days, ahd DAYKS-tay-ram PAHT-rees)

miserere nobis

(mee-say-RAY-ray NOH-bees)

Quoniam tu solus sanctus.

(KWOh-nee-ahm too SOH-loos SAHNK-toos)

Tu solus Dominus,

(too SOH-loos DOH-mee-noos)

Tu solus Altissimus, Jesu Christe.

Too SOH-loos ahl-TEE see moos YAY-soo KREES-tay)

Cum Sancto Spiritu,

(koom SAHNK-toh SPEE-ree-too)

in gloria Dei Patris. Amen.

(in GLOH-ree-ah DAY-ee PAHT-rees, AH-men.)


I haven't found a good chant version in Latin yet...