Arvo Pärt received a commission to compose this work from the Agenzia Romana per la preparazione del Giubileo, that was, the body responsible for the organisation of the "Holy Year 2000" in Rome. Pärt was asked to write a work to be performed by the Chorus and Orchestra of the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia.

Pärt was inspired by the story of the martyrdom of Saint Cecilia and he embarked on a search for a suitable text in 1999. He eventually found one in Latin at the seminary in ...