Agnus Dei

Borrowed from Latin Agnus Deī (“Lamb of God”).

• IPA^(key): /ˌæɡnəs ˈdeɪ.i/, /ˌɑːnjus ˈdeɪ.i/

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Agnus Dei (plural Agnus Deis or Agnus Dei)

1. (Western Christianity) A liturgical chant recited as part of the Mass, beginning with those words, or the music to which it is set. [from 10th c.]
2. (Roman Catholicism, heraldry) A small model, picture, or heraldic representation of a lamb with a cross and sometimes a flag (usually white with a red cross).
3. (Roman Catholicism) A bar of wax imprinted with a similar shape and blessed by the Pope. [from 16th c.]
   • 1796, Matthew Lewis, The Monk, Folio Society, published 1985, page 194:

     Matilda continued her incantations; at intervals she took various items from the basket, the nature and name of most of which were unknown to the friar: but among the few which he distinguished, he particularly observed three human fingers, and an agnus dei, which she broke in pieces.

   • 1971, Keith Thomas, Religion and the Decline of Magic, Folio Society, published 2012, page 28:

     The most common of these amulets was the agnus dei, a small wax cake, originally made out of paschal candles and blessed by the Pope, bearing the image of the lamb and flag.

• Lamb of God

• agnuside, guanides

Calque of Ancient Greek Ἀμνὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ (Amnòs toû Theoû). The name refers to Jesus' role as a sacrificial lamb that is (voluntarily) slaughtered on the Cross.

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /ˈaɡ.nus ˈde.iː/, [ˈäŋnʊs̠ ˈd̪eiː]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ˈaɲ.ɲus ˈde.i/, [ˈäɲːus ˈd̪ɛːi]

Agnus Deī m sg (genitive Agnī Deī); second declension (Christianity, Ecclesiastical Latin)

1. Literally, “Lamb of God”, a title applied by Christians to Jesus, whose death they equate with the offering of such animals for sacrifice at the temple in Jerusalem by those who have sinned, as described in the Hebrew scriptures.

   Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi...

   Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world...

2. prayer in the Mass, and musical composition of that prayer, which begins with the words "Agnus Dei...."

Second-declension noun with an indeclinable portion, singular only.

Note: The vocative is normally Agnus Dei.

• English: Agnus Dei
• Portuguese: Agnus Dei, agnus dei, Cordeiro de Deus (calque)