sacrae

Sacrae is a Latin term that generally denotes sacred things or holy rites. In classical and ecclesiastical Latin, sacer is the adjective meaning sacred, and sacrae can function as a feminine plural form or as a substantive referring to sacred matters. The phrase appears in scholarly, liturgical, and religious contexts to designate things pertaining to the sacred or to sacred worship.

In religious and historical contexts, sacrae often appears in the titles or descriptions of sacred writings, rites, or collections. It is used to label objects, practices, or topics associated with worship, devotion, and the divine, and it can also appear in mottos or inscriptions that emphasize holiness or reverence.

Sacrae is notably present in the world of music, where it has served as part of the titles of works that collect sacred music. The most well-known example is Heinrich Schütz’s two-volume collection Symphoniae sacrae, published in 1629 (Book I) and 1647 (Book II). These works compile sacred concertos for voices and instruments and are regarded as important contributions to early Baroque sacred music, blending Italianate concertato style with German musical traditions.

Beyond these uses, sacrae remains a general linguistic marker of sacred things in Latin literature and religious discourse. It appears in various contexts where the sacred is invoked or organized as a body of holy material for worship or contemplation.