Requiem Aeternam - Traditional

Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine,
et lux perpetua luceat eis.
Te decet hymnus, Deus, in Sion,
et tibi reddetur votum in Jerusalem.
Exaudi orationem meam,
ad te omnis caro veniet.
Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine,
et lux perpetua luceat eis.
Kyrie eleison, Christe eleison, Kyrie eleison.

(Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord,
and let perpetual light shine upon them.
A hymn becomes you, O God, in Zion,
and to you shall a vow be repaid in Jerusalem.
Hear my prayer,
to you all flesh shall come.
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord,
and let perpetual light shine upon them.
Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy, Lord have mercy.)

Requiem Aeternam Lyrics serve as the entrance antiphon and the primary motif for the Mass of the Dead in the Roman Rite. The song Requiem Aeternam focuses on the petition for eternal rest and the shining of perpetual light upon those who have passed away. It is a text that balances the solemnity of death with the profound hope of the Resurrection. By chanting the Requiem Aeternam lyrics the Church expresses its maternal care for its children beyond the grave acknowledging that life is changed not ended. This prayer has been the foundation for the greatest musical Requiems in history providing a spiritual bridge between the mourning of the living and the peace of the eternal city of Jerusalem.