About
The word is Latin and means “darkness” or “shadows.” The Office of Tenebrae is a Holy Week devotion that dates back to at least the eighth century. It is a fully scritpural service of psalms, readings, and prayers.
The Liturgy of the Hours, the official daily prayer of the Church, is divided into seven “hours” or prayer times. The first of these, Matins or Vigil (including Tenebrae), is a pre-dawn service prayed in monastic communities around 3:00am. Prayer at those hours is fine for cloistered monks and nuns; suffice it for us to pray it during the hours of darkness.
Tenebrae, therefore, is a night time service divided into three segments called nocturns, each of which includes readings, psalms, and prayers. It begins with the lucernarium, the blessing of light, in which the presider carries in a lighted candle and places it in the center of an arrangement of fifteen candles. The other fourteen are then lit from the single “Christ Candle.” As the service progresses, the candles are successively extinguished until only the Christ Candle remains lit. The first nocturn includes the chanting of the Lamentations of the prophet Jeremiah. Each of the lamentations begins with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet.
Following the chanting of Psalm 51 in a monotone, the Christ Candle is removed, all other lights are extinguished and the strepitus, or loud noise, is heard, signifying the closing of the tomb and the earthquake on the morning of the resurrection. The Christ Candle is returned to its stand in anticipation of Easter and after the final prayer, all leave in silence.
Our celebration of Tenebrae on Wednesday of Holy Week brings to a close our parish observance of Lent. We will gather for Morning Prayer (Lauds) on Holy Thursday and begin the Sacred Triduum with the Mass of the Lord’s Supper that evening, followed by a solemn procession carrying the Eucharist for Good Friday’s communion to a suitable place of repose, where we will be invited to keep watch in prayer and adoration.
Location:
- St. Mary Church
Date:
- April 5, 2023
Time:
- 7:30 pm
Contact Us
- Coming Soon!