Sanctus

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Sanctus is the Latin word for holy or saint, and is the name of an important hymn of Christian liturgy.

In Western Christianity, the Sanctus is sung (or said) as the last portion of the Preface of the Eucharistic Prayer, the prayer of consecration of the bread and wine. In this setting, the Sanctus immediately follows the preface of the eucharistic prayer. The preface, which alters according to the season, usually concludes with words describing the praise of the worshippers joining with the praise of the angels. The Latin text reads:

Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus,

Dominus Deus Sabbaoth;

Pleni sunt caeli et terra gloria Tua.

Hosanna in excelsis.

The text is adapted from Isaiah 6:3, which describes the prophet Isaiah's vision of the throne of God surrounded by six-winged, ministering seraphim. A similar representation may be found in Revelation 4:8. In Jewish liturgy, the aforementioned verse from Isaiah is uttered by the congregation during Kedusha, a prayer said during the cantor's repetition of the Amidah (18 Benedictions).

Although the Sanctus is traditionally set to plainchant, many composers have set it to more complex music. It constitutes a mandatory part of any mass setting. In the eucharistic prayer, the Sanctus is usually followed immediately by the Benedictus.

The following Benedictus (from the Latin for "blessed") is also usually sung. Its text is taken from Matthew 21.9

Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini.

"Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord."

Hosanna in excelsis.

"Hosanna in the highest".

Note that the Sanctus should not be confused with the Trisagion.

In traditional practice, worshippers bow their heads during the opening "Sanctus, sanctus, sanctus", and make the Sign of the Cross at the word "Benedictus". This practice has all but disappeared in Roman Catholicism since Vatican II, but is still quite common in Anglicanism.

Modern English Version

Holy, holy, holy Lord,

God of power and might,

heaven and earth are full of your glory.

Hosanna in the highest.

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.

Hosanna in the highest.

Traditional English Version

Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Hosts:

Heaven and earth are full of thy glory.

Hosanna in the highest.

Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.

Hosanna in the highest.

Hebrew (From the Kedusha)

Kadosh Kadosh Kadosh Adonai Tz'vaot

Melo Kol Haaretz Kevodo.

External links

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Last updated on Friday December 07, 2007 at 15:08:20 PST (GMT -0800)
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