Parce Domine (“Spare, O Lord”) is a Roman Catholic antiphon sung during the season of Lent (Quadragesima), and liturgically during the imposition of ashes at Holy Mass on Ash Wednesday. The text of the antiphon is taken from Joel 2:17 in the Latin translation of the Bible, and set to Gregorian Chant. Verses from the hymn served as the basis for compositions by Renaissance composers such as William Byrd, Thomas Tallis, and Jacob Obrecht.
