Absolve Domine

Absolve, Domine is the Tract of the Mass of the Dead. In the Tridentine rite it follows the Gradual, with which it is sometimes combined in a single movement. It is usually omitted by Viennese composers or set separately, as Fux did.

Settings by composers

• Peter Cornelius TTBB or SATB
• Pedro de Escobar with a different verse SATB
• Giuseppe Pitoni SATB

Other settings possibly not included in the manual list above

• Orlando di Lasso — Missa pro defunctis quinque vocum
• Juan Vasquez — Agenda Defunctorum - Ad Missam

Text and translations

Latin text Absolve, Domine, animas omnium fidelium defunctorum ab omni vinculo delictorum. (verse:) Et gratia tua illis succurrente, mereantur evadere Judicium ultionis. Et lucis aeternae beatitudine perfrui. French translation Délivre, Seigneur, les âmes de tous les fidèles défunts de tous les liens du péché. Et fais qu'avec le secours de ta grâce, ils méritent d'échapper au jugement de vengeance.

English translation Deliver, O Lord, the souls of all the departed faithful from all bondage of their sins. And by your sustaining grace, may they be worthy of escaping the chastisement of judgment. And partake in the happiness of eternal light. Italian translation Perdona, Signore, le anime di tutti i fedeli defunti da ogni costrizione di peccato. E, soccorsi dalla Tua grazia, meritino di sfuggire alla condanna.