EBEALEN

"Ebealen" is a reverent setting of the Kyrie eleison, composed in the Esan language. Sung during the Penitential Rite at the beginning of the Mass, this piece allows the congregation and choir to center themselves, asking for God's mercy before entering fully into the Liturgy of the Word and the Eucharist.

The melody carries a gentle, pleading quality that perfectly matches the earnest petitions of the text. As the voices weave together through the harmony lines, the repetition of "Ebealen mhan tohanmhanlen" builds a sense of devotion. The transition into "Kristi tohamhan e" lifts the prayer slightly, offering a moment of tender reflection before resolving into the final musical phrase.

For Nigerian Catholic choirs, especially those in Edo State and Esan-speaking communities, singing the Mass parts in the local tongue brings a profound sense of cultural resonance to the liturgy. Solomon Okoduwa’s arrangement provides a warm, accessible harmony that invites both the choir loft and the pews into a deep, unified prayer of repentance.