Spiritus Domini replevit orbem terrarum, alleluia: et hoc quod continent omnia, scientiam habet vocis, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
“The spirit of the Lord fills the world, alleluia. The one that keeps everything together, has the knowledge of the word, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.” (Wisdom 1:7)
Click here to listen to an audio of the chant.
Sung by Liborius Lumma, Innsbruck (Austria).
The signature word of Pentecost Sunday is replere (“replenish”, “fill up”). The Holy Spirit is the fuel in Creation’s tank. This introit offers one of the occasions when the Pentecostal Mass Proper celebrates the word replere: It can also be found in the sequence Veni Sancte Spiritus (reple cordis intima), in the Alleluia Veni Sancte Spiritus (reple tuorum cordia fidelium), and in the communion antiphon Factus est repente (et repleti sunt omnes).
In this introit we find replere with the same melodic idea as in Factus est repente: The melody vigorously rises from replevit to orbem as if you could observe a stock pot overflowing. That is what the Spirit is like when it comes.
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