Lux Aeterna (SSA) SSA - Digital Sheet Music

SKU: A0.873043

Lux Aeterna

By Sally Whitwell

On 12 June, 2016, the international LGBTQ+ community was hit hard with the news of a mass shooting in one of our community’s entertainment venues, a nightclub in Orlando, Florida. Forty nine people were killed, and fifty three wounded in what was deemed a terrorist attack. At the time, it was the deadliest shooting by a single gunman in United States history. I wrote this piece in the wake of that news, I suppose as a way of processing this attack on my community.

The club was hosting a special ‘Latin Night’ that night, so the majority of the victims were Hispanic. Culturally, Hispanic populations have a very strong Roman Catholic tradition, so it seemed the right thing to incorporate a piece of the Catholic Requiem Mass. The Lux Aeterna is the Communion antiphon for that Mass.

Lux aeterna luceat eis, Domine:

Cum Sanctis tuis in aeternum:

quia pius es.

Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine:

et lux perpetua luceat eis.

Cum Sanctis tuis in aeternum:

quia pius es.

May light eternal shine upon them, O Lord,

with Thy Saints for evermore:

for Thou art gracious.

Eternal rest give to them, O Lord,

and let perpetual light shine upon them:

With Thy Saints for evermore,

for Thou art gracious.

Everlasting light shine upon them