Tenebræ

This Wednesday evening at 8:00pm, our parish of Holy Rosary will celebrate a Tenebræ service. You are most welcome to join us.

What is Tenebræ?

The word itself is Latin for “shadows”. It is a Holy Week service tied to the prayers of the Liturgy of the Hours, being a concatenation of Matins and Lauds, anticipated the night before.

In addition to the psalms, traditionally chanted, we hear readings from the Lamentations of the Prophet Jeremiah, from Saint Augustine, and from the Letter to the Hebrews.

It is a very somber service, designed to place you at the time of Christ’s Passion.

As we chant the psalms, one by one the candles and lights in the church are extinguished, until we are nearly in darkness.

And then, in darkness we whisper the Lord’s Prayer and hear the beautiful anthem Christus Factus Est.

A great noise is heard – the strepitus – representing the closing of the Lord’s tomb.

A single candle representing the Lord is returned to the altar, and we leave in silence by its light.

It is, as I said, a somber service, but a truly moving one.

Please join us if you can.