Liberal Dictionary English Dictionary
noun
- Roman Catholic Church.
- Also called Requiem Mass.the Mass celebrated for the repose of the souls of the dead.
- a celebration of this Mass.
- a plainsong setting for this Mass.
- any musical service, hymn, or dirge for the repose of the dead.
noun
- RC Church a Mass celebrated for the dead
- a musical setting of this Mass
- any piece of music composed or performed as a memorial to a dead person or persons
“mass for repose of the soul of the dead,” c.1300, from Latin requiem, accusative singular of requies “rest (after labor), repose,” from re-, intensive prefix (see re-), + quies “quiet” (see quiet (adj.)). It is the first word of the Mass for the Dead in the Latin liturgy: Requiem æternam dona eis, Domine …. [“Grant them eternal rest, O Lord ….”]
In music, a Mass for one or more dead persons, containing biblical passages and prayers for the admission of the dead to heaven. The term has been loosely applied to other musical compositions in honor of the dead. A German Requiem by Johannes Brahms, for example, uses texts from the Bible (see also Bible) but is not a Mass.