Passion Sunday : Thoughts on the Dies Irae Sequence

The Last Judgement.

Earlier this year I attended a Requiem Mass at St. Bede’s Church (Clapham Park, London) and I was particularly struck by the Dies Iræ sequence which was chanted by members of the church choir. I determined to spend some time studying the text further and during my research I discovered a book written by the Rev. Nicholaus Gihr entitled:

 
Dies Iræ : The Sequence of the Mass for the Dead, dogmatically and ascetically interpreted for devotional reading and meditation. (published in 1927 by the B. Herder Book Co.)

I have written a short booklet on the Dies Irae which offers in a compact form:

    • the Latin text of the sequence
    • the plainchant notation
    • a selection of short commentaries and notes 
    • a verse and a literal translation in English 
    • a commentary on Jan Van Eyck’s Last Judgement (c. 1430–1440. Metropolitan Museum of Art) 
    • the French text of a verse paraphrase of Dies Irae by Jean de la Fontaine, with my English translation.

The booklet is offered through the Immaculate Heart of Mary to her Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, who is our Creator, our Saviour and who will be our Judge.

You can access the booklet by clicking on the link: 👉  Dies Irae 

Preces meæ non sunt dignæ:

sed tu bonus fac benigne,

ne perenni cremer igne.

How worthless are my prayers I know,

yet, Lord forbid that I should go

into the fires of endless woe.

Totus tuus ego sum 

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam