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56

PRAYERS AT MASS

THE SEQUENCE FOR THE DEAD.

The day of wrath, that dreadful day,Dies irae, dies illa,
Shall the whole world in ashes lay,Solvet saeculum in favilla,
As David and the Sibyl say.Teste David cum Sibylla.
What horror must invade the mind,Quantus tremor est futurus,
When the approaching Judge shall findQuando Judex est venturus,
Few venial faults in all mankind!Cuncta stricte discussurus!
The last loud trumpet's wond'rous soundTuba mirum spargens sonum
Shall through the rending tombs rebound,Per sepulchra regionum,
And wake the nations under ground.Coget omnes ante thronum.
Nature and death shall with surpriseMors stupebit, et natura,
Behold the trembling sinner rise,Cum resurget creatura,
To view his Judge with conscious eyes.Judicanti responsura.
Then shall, with universal fear,Liber scriptus proferetur,
The seven-sealed judgment book appear,In quo totum continetur,
To scan the whole of life's career.Unde mundus judicetur.
The Judge ascends his awful throne,Judex ergo cum sedebit,
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