Loquebantur variis linguis

General information

Responsory used on or in the week after the feast of Pentecost. Based on Acts 2:4.

Two commonly used versions of the text exist: one includes "prout spiritus..." and the other ends at "magnalia dei." The shorter version is used e.g. as the Vespers responsory for Pentecost in the Sarum rite; the longer is often used at Matins on Pentecost Tuesday. A very similar text appears as the verse of the responsory "Repleti sunt omnes," and some motets set Repleti/Loquebantur as a prima/secunda pars.

Notes on selected settings

• Peter Philips SSATB (versicle omitted)
• Thomas Tallis SSATTBB, SSAATBB, SSTTTBB or AATTBarBB

Settings by composers (automatically updated)

• Sigismondo d'India — Loquebantur variis linguis  Latin SATTB
• Christian Hollander — De Sancto Spiritu  Latin SATTB
• Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina — Loquebantur  Latin SATB, STTB
• Peter Philips — Loquebantur variis linguis  Latin SSATB
• Thomas Tallis — Loquebantur variis linguis  Latin SSATTBB

Text and translations

Latin text Loquebantur variis linguis Apostoli magnalia Dei, [prout Spiritus Sanctus dabat eloqui illis,] alleluia. Repleti sunt omnes Spiritu Sancto, et coeperunt loqui.

English translation The Apostles spoke in many languages of the great works of God, [as the Holy Spirit gave them the gift of speech,] alleluia. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak.

Italian translation Gli apostoli enunciavano in diverse lingue le grandi opere del Signore, poichè a loro lo Spirito Santo offrì il dono della parola, alleluia. Pieni tutti dello Spirito Santo iniziarono a parlare.

Hungarian translation Különböző nyelveken beszélték az apostolok Isten nagy tetteit, amint a Szentlélek megadta nekik, hogy szóljanak. Alleluja. Mindnyájan beteltek Szentlélekkel, és beszélni kezdtek.