Dies irae

Dies Iræ is a famous Latin hymn written by Thomas of Celaeno. It opens with the words:

Dies Iræ! dies illa

Solvet sæclum in favilla

Teste David cum Sibylla!

(Day of Wrath! Upon that day, the world will melt away, according to David and the Sibyl!)

The poem continues to describe the day of judgment, the last trumpet summoning souls before the throne of God, where the good will be delivered and the evil will be cast into eternal flames.

The hymn, set to a sombre Gregorian chant, was a part of the Roman Catholic Requiem service, the Mass for the dead. It also forms part of the liturgy of All Souls Day. It has been set to music by many composers, of whom Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Giuseppe Verdi, and Hector Berlioz's versions are the most frequently performed.

External link:

Text of Dies Iræ at The Latin Library: http://www.thelatinlibrary.com/diesirae.html