Factum est silentium

General information

Motet for the feast of Michael the Archangel.

Settings by composers

• Felice Anerio SATB
• Girolamo Baglioni SSBB
• Adriano Banchieri SSAATTBB
• Giovanni Croce SATB.SATB
• Richard Dering SSATTB
• Melchior Franck SSAT.ATTB
• Alessandro Grandi SATB (Variant 1)
• Peter Philips SSATB
• Costanzo Porta SSAATTBB
• Ivo de Vento SATB

Other settings possibly not included in the manual list above

• Philippe de Monte — Factum est silentium
• Georg Prenner — Factum est silentium

Text and translations

Latin text Factum est silentium in caelo, Dum committeret bellum draco cum Michaele Archangelo. Audita est vox millia millium dicentium: Salus, honor et virtus omnipotenti Deo. Millia millium minestrabant ei et decies centena millia assistebant ei. [Alleluia.] Variant 1 Dum draco committeret bellum et Michael pugnavit cum eo et fecit victoriam.

English translation There was silence in heaven When the dragon fought with the Archangel Michael. The voice of a thousand thousand was heard saying: Salvation, honour and power be to almighty God. A thousand thousand ministered to him and ten hundreds of thousands stood before him. [Alleluia.] Variant 1 for a serpent was waging war; and Michael fought with him and emerged victorious.