Anton Bruckner was a devoutly religious man, and composed numerous sacred works. Among these are seven Masses, two requiems, and sketches for two additional Masses and one requiem. The three early Masses, composed between 1842 and 1844 during Bruckner's stay in Windhaag and Kronstorf, were short Austrian (country Masses) for use in local churches. The lost Requiem for men's choir and organ, composed in 1845, the Requiem in D minor, composed in 1849, and the Missa solemnis, composed in 1854, were composed during Bruckner's stay in Sankt Florian. The three Masses, Mass No. 1 in D minor, Mass No. 2 in E minor and Mass No. 3 in F minor, which Bruckner composed after eight years of study with Simon Sechter and Otto Kitzler, are the most advanced and elaborate of these compositions. Windhaag and Kronstorf During his stay as schoolteacher's assistant in Windhaag (3 October 1841 - 23 January 1843) and Kronstorf (23 January 1843 - 23 September 1845), Bruckner composed three Landmessen, the Windhaager Messe, the Kronstorfer Messe and the Messe für den Gründonnerstag. These Masses were intentionally simple, because they were intended for the meagre resources of the local village churches. The Windhaager Messe in C major (WAB 25) is a Choral-Messe for alto soloist, two horns and organ, which Bruckner composed in 1842 during his stay in Windhaag. The Kronstorfer Messe (WAB 146) in D minor is a Missa brevis for mixed choir a cappella, which Bruckner composed in 1843-1844 during his next stay in Kronstorf. The Messe für den Gründonnerstag (WAB 9) in F major is another Missa brevis for mixed choir a cappella, which Bruckner composed in 1844 during his stay in Kronstorf. Extra Kyrie and Gloria, composed in 1845, are lost. During this period () Bruckner also composed a 17-bar sketch for the Kyrie in G minor of a Missa pro Quadragesima (Mass for Lent) for mixed choir, three trombones and organ (WAB 140). Theses compositions are put in Band XXI of the . Sankt Florian Between 23 September 1845 and 24 December 1855, during his stay as organist in Sankt Florian, Bruckner composed a lost requiem, the Requiem in D minor and the Missa solemnis. Requiem (WAB 133), for men's choir and organ, a lost work composed in 1845 for the funeral of Johann Nepomuk Deschl. Requiem (WAB 39) in D minor, for mixed choir, soloists, three trombones, one horn, strings and