Angelus Domini

The song 'Angelus Domini' performed by Cantos Gregorianos is a rendition of a traditional Christian prayer set to Gregorian chant, a style of liturgical music that has been used in the Roman Catholic Church for centuries. The lyrics are in Latin and are derived from the Angelus, a Catholic devotion commemorating the Incarnation, the Christian belief that God became flesh in the person of Jesus Christ. The prayer is traditionally recited three times a day: at dawn, noon, and dusk.

The opening lines, 'Angelus Domini nuntiavit Mariae / Et concepit de Spiritu Sancto,' translate to 'The Angel of the Lord declared unto Mary / And she conceived by the Holy Spirit.' This refers to the biblical account of the Annunciation, where the angel Gabriel announces to the Virgin Mary that she will bear the Son of God. The repeated 'Ave Maria' (Hail Mary) lines are a veneration of Mary, acknowledging her fullness of grace, her blessing among women, and the blessed fruit of her womb, Jesus. The prayer asks for Mary's intercession for sinners now and at the hour of death.

The song's structure follows the progression of the Angelus prayer, with the narrative of the Annunciation, the response of Mary ('Ecce ancilla Domini'), and the acknowledgment of the Word made flesh ('Et verbum caro factum est'). The chant concludes with a petition for Mary's intercession and a collective prayer ('Oremus') asking for grace to be led from the knowledge of Christ's Incarnation to the glory of His Resurrection. The serene and meditative quality of Gregorian chant enhances the spiritual and contemplative nature of the prayer, inviting listeners into a space of reverence and reflection.