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And of course there were prayers. Millions. Pleas for mercy, pleas for help and redemption, pleas for punishment and justice. And so they managed to pull themselves through, day after day, week after week, month after month. Without any hope for help.
Domine Jesu
This section contains the appeal from the living for the eternal life for the dead and the plea for protection against the pits of hell. It therefore starts with a calm, solemn organ theme, cautiously answered by the woodwinds. Then the baritone continues the theme with the ‘Domine Jesu Christe’; the choir solemnly answers with ‘Rex gloriae’, King of Glory.
The alto follows with a prayer that the souls may be liberated from the punishments of hell and her deep pits. Once again the choir answers with ‘Rex gloriae’.
The soprano begs for the dead to saved from the lion's mouth and the pits of hell and for Saint Michael to lead them towards the eternal light. The choir answers with the promise to Abraham and his family, after which they break into a solemn, almost light-hearted ‘Rex gloriae’.
This is repeated twice. First after the appeal from the alto to accept the offers and prayers to commemorate the dead souls. The second time after the appeal from the tenor to save the souls from the punishments from hell and their resurrection into eternal life.
The choir concludes this section with a devoted ‘Domine Jesu’.
How many victims were devoured by the lion each day? Or tortured to death, beaten to death, starved, hung or shot by their tormentors.
And how many victims were devoured by the pits of hell each day? Or pushed into the gas chambers in Auschwitz and then burnt in the ovens.
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