One of the key liturgical prayers in the Mass of the Catholic Church, the Kyrie is a simple request for mercy. Written in Latin, it is used in a number of churches, including Eastern Orthodox, the Eastern Catholic Church, and the Roman Catholic Church. Dating all the way back to the 4th century Jerusalem and pagan antiquity, the word Kyrie is the Greek work for Lord, and perhaps the most basic prayer in the entire world. 
 
The intent of this work is to transport the listener to a state of meditative reflection. The listener may choose to fixate on the contrapuntalism, the call-and-response nature of the voices, or the final few bars of quiet solemnity, but is ultimately an experience open to the listener’s interpretation.