LISTEN to a Glorious "Tu es Petrus" - "Thou art Peter" by Palestrina which Honors the Pope Chosen by Christ

Listen below to a beautiful musical motet honoring the pope as successor of Saint Peter chosen by Jesus Christ as found in the Bible's book of Saint Matthew. It comes from the Missa Tu es Petrus, which is a mass for six voices (SSATBB) by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina. The eponymous model Tu es Petrus ("Thou art Peter") is one of three motets by Palestrina, all on the same text, intended “for the Feast of St. Paul and St. Peter” (29 June).

The text of the model is in Latin and is based on Matthew 16:18–19:

Tu es Petrus, et super hanc petram

Aedificabo Ecclesiam meam,

Et portae inferi non praevalebunt adversus eam:

Et tibi dabo claves

Regni coelorum.

Quodcumque ligaveris super terram,

Erit ligatum et in coelis;

Et quodcumque solveris super terram

Erit solutum et in coelis.

You are Peter, and on this rock

I will build My church,

And the gates of hell will not prevail against it:

And I will give you the keys

To the kingdom of heaven.

Whatever you bind on earth

Will be bound also in heaven;

And whatever you release on earth

Will be released also in heaven.

— Matthew 16:18–19