Above the archway at the main entrance to the Tung Wah Coffin Home are the characters "息動歸靜" ("Returning to Stillness"). This symbolises the belief that after the ups and downs of life, we all ultimately return to peace and that death represents the final stage in humanity's journey towards tranquillity. This idea—of finding rest after the labours of life—has long echoed through cultures around the world, with "rest in peace" one of the most universal expressions of condolence. In Christian tradition, "rest" refers to more than just physical stillness: it marks the soul's peaceful return to God. This longing for rest is at the heart of the requiem—a prayer for the deceased, wishing for comfort and eternal peace for their souls.
The Bible contains numerous passages highlighting the importance of praying for the dead, especially "If he were not expecting that those who had fallen would rise again, it would have been superfluous and foolish to pray for the dead. But if he was looking to the splendid reward that is laid up for those who fall asleep in godliness, it was a holy and pious thought. Therefore he made atonement for the dead, that they might be delivered from their sin." By the 13th century, Catholic doctrine had formally adopted the concept of Purgatory—where the soul is cleansed of impurities before entering Heaven—and believers held that prayers could help purify the souls of departed loved ones, hastening their journey to eternal rest. As a result, requiem masses became widespread and essential rituals.
A traditional requiem—the Latin term for "rest" or "repose"—is divided into 12 parts: the Introit, Kyrie, Gradual, Tract, Sequence (Dies Irae), Offertory, Sanctus, Pie Jesu, Agnus Dei, Communion, Exsequiae (Libera Me) and Valedictio (In Paradisum). Strictly speaking, Pie Jesu (Merciful Jesus), In Paradisum and Libera Me are not part of the formal Mass; Pie Jesu is a short phrase sometimes sung after the Eucharist, while the latter two are used during burial rites. Together, these texts form the foundation of the requiem and have inspired countless composers.
Among them, Mozart's Requiem stands as one of the most celebrated. The film Amadeus suggested that the work was commissioned by an anonymous donor, but it was in fact commissioned by German aristocrat Count Franz von Walsegg to commemorate the death of his late wife. Mozart's Requiem includes all essential parts of the Requiem Mass, except the Gradual and Tract; and doesn't feature Libera Me and In Paradisum either.
Mozart structured his Requiem in five major sections, each concluding with a fugue. He was unable to complete it before his death, so his pupil Franz Xaver Süssmayr—after initial work by Joseph Eybler and Abbé Stadler—ultimately finished the piece. At the 2026 HKAF, renowned conductor Sir John Eliot Gardiner will lead his Constellation Choir & Orchestra in performing this monumental work. The programme also features Mozart's Great Mass in C minor and, in another concert, Bach's Mass in B minor.
