Learn Latin Prayers
Chapter 7 - Prayers & Responses During the Traditional Latin Mass

2. Lamb of God (Agnus Dei)

Complete & Continue Next Lesson Learn More

A Prayer of Mercy and Peace Before Receiving Christ

The Agnus Dei (Lamb of God) is a deeply reverent invocation of Jesus Christ, the true Lamb slain for our salvation. Prayed during the Traditional Latin Mass just before Holy Communion, it prepares the faithful to receive Our Lord with humility, purity, and contrition. It echoes the words of St. John the Baptist: “Ecce Agnus Dei, qui tollit peccata mundi” – “Behold the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sins of the world.”

For true Catholics who reject Vatican II, the Agnus Dei is not just a prayer of piety, but a confession of faith in the Real Presence and the atoning Sacrifice of Christ. In contrast, the Vatican II pseudo-church has introduced a Protestantized understanding of the Mass, treating it as a “meal” and a “community celebration,” while denying or obscuring its true sacrificial nature. The Agnus Dei—with its repeated plea for mercy and peace from the spotless Victim—stands in clear opposition to the irreverent liturgical innovations of the Novus Ordo, which often downplay the solemnity of the Eucharistic Sacrifice.

To pray the Agnus Dei is to stand at the foot of the Cross, spiritually united with the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. John, pleading for mercy from the Lamb of God Who takes away our sins.

1. Agnus Dei

Latin:

Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccáta mundi: miserére nobis.
Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccáta mundi: miserére nobis.
Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccáta mundi: dona nobis pacem.

English Translation:

Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world: have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world: have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world: grant us peace.

📌 Key Notes:

  • "Agnus Dei" (Lamb of God) refers to Jesus Christ as the ultimate sacrifice for our sins.

  • "Qui tollis peccáta mundi" (Who takes away the sins of the world) echoes Christ’s mission of redemption.

  • "Dona nobis pacem" (Grant us peace) is a plea for spiritual peace before receiving the Eucharist.

  • The Agnus Dei is repeated three times to emphasize its importance in preparation for Holy Communion.

2. Pronunciation Guide

Here is a word-by-word pronunciation breakdown using Ecclesiastical Latin:

Agnus Dei - Pronunciation Guide

Agnus Dei - Pronunciation Guide

Latin Phrase Phonetic Pronunciation English Translation
Agnus DeiAHN-yoos DEH-eeLamb of God
Qui tollisKwee TOH-leesWho takes away
Peccáta mundiPek-KAH-tah MOON-deeThe sins of the world
Miserére nobisMee-seh-REH-reh NOH-beesHave mercy on us
Dona nobis pacemDOH-nah NOH-bees PAH-chemGrant us peace

📌 Key Pronunciation Notes:

  • "Agnus" (AHN-yoos) – The "gn" is pronounced like "ny" in "canyon."

  • "Tollis" (TOH-lees) – The "t" is clear, not silent.

  • "Peccáta" (Pek-KAH-tah) – Double "c" is pronounced strongly.

  • "Miserére" (Mee-seh-REH-reh) – Each "r" is rolled slightly.

  • "Pacem" (PAH-chem) – The "c" is pronounced like "ch" in "church."

✅ Practice Tip: Slowly say each word aloud several times, ensuring correct pronunciation.

3. Videos

LATIN: Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccáta mundi: miserére nobis. Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccáta mundi: miserére nobis. Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccáta mundi: dona nobis pacem.

PHONETIC: AHN-yoos DEH-ee kwee TOH-lees pek-KAH-tah MOON-dee mee-seh-REH-reh NOH-bees. AHN-yoos DEH-ee kwee TOH-lees pek-KAH-tah MOON-dee mee-seh-REH-reh NOH-bees. AHN-yoos DEH-ee kwee TOH-lees pek-KAH-tah MOON-dee DOH-nah NOH-bees PAH-chem.

LATIN: Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccáta mundi: miserére nobis. Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccáta mundi: miserére nobis. Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccáta mundi: dona nobis pacem. PHONETIC: AHN-yoos DEH-ee kwee TOH-lees pek-KAH-tah MOON-dee mee-seh-REH-reh NOH-bees. AHN-yoos DEH-ee kwee TOH-lees pek-KAH-tah MOON-dee mee-seh-REH-reh NOH-bees. AHN-yoos DEH-ee kwee TOH-lees pek-KAH-tah MOON-dee DOH-nah NOH-bees PAH-chem.

4. When to Use the Agnus Dei

This Prayer is Recited:

✔ During the Mass, immediately before Holy Communion.
✔ Before receiving the Eucharist in personal prayer, as an act of preparation.
✔ During Eucharistic Adoration, as a meditation on Christ’s sacrifice.
✔ In moments of distress, asking for Christ’s mercy and peace.

📌 Traditional Catholic Practice:

  • The priest and congregation recite the Agnus Dei three times at Mass.

  • It is part of the Liturgy of the Eucharist in both the Traditional and Novus Ordo Mass.

  • It is often recited privately before receiving Communion or during Adoration.

5. Lesson Summary

The Agnus Dei is a solemn plea for mercy addressed to Christ, the true Lamb of God, offered in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Recited before Communion, it reminds us of the Real Presence and the need for humility and contrition. In the face of the Novus Ordo’s desacralized liturgy, this prayer proclaims the unchanging Catholic Faith and the reality of the Eucharistic Sacrifice.

6. Final Thought – Why Does This Prayer Matter?

The Agnus Dei encapsulates the Catholic understanding of Christ’s Sacrifice and Real Presence in the Most Holy Eucharist. This truth—unchanging and defined by the Church—has been betrayed by the false Vatican II sect, which promotes ecumenical ambiguity, liturgical irreverence, and theological heresy. The Agnus Dei was watered down and marginalized in the Novus Ordo, where the true notion of sacrifice has been replaced with Protestant-style symbolism.

In the Traditional Latin Mass, the Agnus Dei is not an emotional refrain—it is a plea of contrition and adoration before the Lamb of God, Who offers Himself anew, unbloody, on the altar at every valid Mass. It is recited with bowed head and recollected heart, as the faithful prepare to receive the very Flesh and Blood of Christ. This is not a meal—it is the unbloody renewal of Calvary.

By holding fast to this sacred prayer, the true Catholic resists the spirit of Vatican II, which has trivialized the liturgy and presented a distorted, man-centered religion under the false guise of Catholicism. The Agnus Dei is a direct response to this crisis—it affirms the Mass as a propitiatory Sacrifice, the Eucharist as the true Body and Blood of Christ, and the necessity of approaching God with humility, reverence, and awe.

In a world that has forgotten how to worship, the Agnus Dei is a beacon. It reminds us that we are unworthy servants, begging mercy from the Lamb who gave His life for our redemption. This prayer is a powerful act of fidelity to the One True Church, and a public rejection of the heretical and sacrilegious innovations of the post-Vatican II sect.

To pray the Agnus Dei is to remain at the Cross, clinging to the true Faith with the Blessed Mother, unmoved by the storms of apostasy.

“Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccáta mundi: miserére nobis…”

  • Add a short summary or a list of helpful resources here.