Requiem

A Requiem, or Requiem Mass, is a religious service held for the repose of deceased souls.

In the Catholic Church, it is also known as a Mass for the dead. The term comes from the Latin word "requiem," which means "rest" or "repose."

This name is derived from the service's opening words, "Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine." This phrase translates to "Eternal rest grant them, O Lord." These words are cited from the text of 2 Esdras 2:34-35. The service serves as a way for a community to gather and pray for those who have passed away.

The structure of the Requiem Mass has changed through different liturgical reforms. In earlier forms of the Roman Rite, the service followed specific rules that differed from a standard Mass. Certain parts were omitted, such as the psalm "Iudica" at the start. The priest also skipped certain prayers and the use of incense during the Introit and Gospel.

There was no recitation of the Creed or the Gloria in excelsis Deo. Instead, the Alleluia chant was replaced by a Tract. The sequence "Dies irae," a poetic composition about the Day of Judgment, was also an obligatory part of the service. This sequence used intense language to appeal to Jesus for mercy.

In the mid-20th century, the Catholic Church underwent significant liturgical reforms. These changes shifted the focus of the funeral rites. While older traditions emphasized sorrow and grief, the renewed liturgy emphasizes the community's worship of God. The theme focuses on trusting in the salvation found in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. In the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s, the service was sometimes called a "Mass of the Resurrection." Today, the official English ritual is titled the "Funeral Mass."

Vestments, or the ceremonial clothing worn by priests, also changed during these reforms. In the older forms of the Roman Rite, black was the obligatory liturgical color. Under the newer rules, the color black may still be used where it is the practice. However, the Missal now allows for white vestments to be used as an option.

Violet is also an allowable color for penance and reparation for the soul. These changes in color and text aim to reinforce the promise of eternal life.

Other Christian traditions hold their own versions of these memorial services. In the Eastern Orthodox and Greek-Catholic Churches, the service is called a Parastas. This is the fullest form of memorial service in these traditions. It is a very long ceremony that includes all the psalms, readings, and hymns of an All-Night Vigil.

Because of its length, a full Parastas can last about three and a half hours. The name literally means "standing throughout the night." In the Russian tradition, a special service called the "Last Panikhida" is sometimes served before the canonization of a saint.

In the Anglican tradition, the service was historically known as "The Order for the Burial of the Dead." While the original Book of Common Prayer did not include a Requiem Mass, many Anglo-Catholics incorporated parts of the Roman Catholic rite. This often included seven specific texts known as "funeral sentences." These sentences include passages from the books of John, Job, 1 Timothy, and Revelation. Famous composers like Henry Purcell and Orlando Gibbons have set these Anglican burial services to music.

The Requiem has also become a major genre in Western classical music. Originally, these were monophonic chants intended for liturgical use. Over time, composers began creating large-scale musical works for concert halls.

These compositions often use texts from the Mass, such as the Introit, Kyrie eleison, and Agnus Dei. Famous composers of Requiems include Mozart, Verdi, Berberry, Brahms, and Fauré. Johannes Ockeghem wrote the earliest surviving polyphonic setting in the late 15th century. These musical works allow people to express deep emotions related to death and mourning through art.