Agnus Dei
American Heritage Dictionary:
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Ag·nus De·i
(ăg'nəs dē'ī', än'yūs dā'ē, äg'nūs') 
n.
n.
- Christianity. Lamb of God; Jesus. Also called Paschal Lamb.
- A liturgical prayer to Jesus.
- The last item of the Ordinary of the Roman Catholic Mass.
- A musical setting for either of these texts.
[Late Latin Agnus Deī : Latin agnus, lamb + Latin deī, genitive of deus, god.]
Oxford Grove Music Encyclopedia:
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Agnus Dei
Fifth section of the Ordinary of the Mass in the Roman rite; the text is taken from John i.29 (‘Behold the lamb of God’). It was added in the late 7th century to accompany the breaking of the bread. Between the 10th and 12th centuries a threefold form evolved with a contrasting middle section. It is often used in the Anglican service of Holy Communion.
Columbia Encyclopedia:
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Agnus Dei
Agnus Dei (ăg'nəs dē'ī, än'yʊs dā'ē) [Lat.], the Lamb of God, i.e., Jesus. The lamb of the Passover sacrifice is said to prefigure the crucifixion. Isaiah calls the expected Messiah the Lamb of God, and Jesus is met by John the Baptist with the words, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world." In the Mass the Agnus Dei, or Lamb of God, is said or sung while the communion bread is being broken for distribution. It is usually the final movement of choral masses. In Anglican worship it is sung during communion. In iconography a lamb with halo and cross is called an Agnus Dei.
The Austin Symphony's Music Glossary:
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Agnus Dei
Random House Word Menu:
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categories related to 'Agnus Dei'
- Latin Words and Phrases - Agnus Dei: lamb of God, i.e., Christ
- Christianity - Agnus Dei: liturgical prayer to Christ the Savior
- God and Divinity - Agnus Dei: figure of a lamb as representation of Jesus Christ
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American Heritage Dictionary
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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The Concise Grove Dictionary of Music. Copyright © 1994 by Oxford University Press, Inc.. All rights reserved.
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The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition Copyright © 2012, Columbia University Press. Licensed from Columbia University Press. All rights reserved. www.cc.columbia.edu/cu/cup/.
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