[2] The text is in Old Church Slavonic, with five vocal movements that correspond to the Catholic Ordinary of the Mass, omitting "Dona nobis pacem" in the Agnus Dei.

The musical origins of the work can be traced to Janáček's Latin setting of the Kyrie, Agnus Dei, and Credo for organ and chorus.

Before this Intrada, Janáček introduces a dramatic organ solo of considerable originality – a moto perpetuo of wild energy.

[4] Janáček's Glagolitic Mass is considered an important work of the century and is frequently performed and recorded today.

Some of the movements are reworkings of Janáček's earlier compositions: the Svet, for instance, is derived from the Sanctus of the Mass in E-flat.