« MUSICA SACRA ». - Belgian journal of religious music, founded in 1882 at Gent (Gand) by Fr J. Van Damme as the Bulletin de la Société de St Grégoire, with the subtitle Revue de chant d'église et de musique religieuse; it was soon transferred to Namur, then to Malines, where the editorial office is still located. It is published under the direction of the Benedictine abbey of Mont-César at Lovanio.
Its official and predominant language had always been French; but since its resumption after the Second World War (1946), precedence has been given to Dutch. Distinguished writers contributed to it, with studies on sacred music in general, on sacred, Gregorian, and polyphonic chant, on instruments and especially the organ, with articles on musical pedagogy, etc.; among these, particularly worthy of mention in the earlier phase (at Namur) are Card. Mercier, Fr De Santi, P. Wagner, D. Johner, etc., while from the beginning of the more recent phase (at Malines) other distinguished scholars are found, such as Gastoué, Tirabassi, E. Tinel, Vyvermann, Van Doorslaer, E. Closson, Van Nuffel, etc.
A monthly periodical, M. s., founded in 1940 and published at Pietropolis (Brazil) in Portuguese, contains articles on musical training in the vocal, organized, and liturgical fields.
Other journals bearing this name were founded by F. Witt at Ratisbona (1868), by Abbot Amelli at Milano (1874), and by A. Kunca at Toulouse, but they are now defunct. Luisa Cervelli;