TENEBRAE

The great liturgical drama of Holy Week extends from Palm Sunday, when the Passion from one of the synoptic gospels is read, to Easter Sunday, when the joyful Alleluias proclaim the Resurrection of Jesus. In the midst of these dramatic ceremonies, a quiet service called Tenebrae invites the faithful to pray in the serenity of increasing darkness, until the church is completely without light. The term “Tenebrae” is the Latin word for “darkness” and it anticipates the darkness that covered the earth when Jesus suffered death on the cross.

Tenebrae originated many centuries ago with the monastic prayer said after midnight on the last three days of Holy Week.  The sanctuary of the church is illuminated by a large structure like candelabra, which holds fifteen candles. As the psalms are recited and the Lamentation of Jeremiah is chanted, the candles are gradually extinguished In the most dramatic moment of the service, the chanting of the final antiphon is followed by loud noises, made by the choir and congregation banging books on pews, to represent the earth quaking at the time of Christ’s death and the sound of the stone closing shut to seal his tomb. Shortly after that the one candle that had been removed is returned to the sanctuary as a sign of the Resurrection. The service then ends in silence.

The observance of Tenebrae at St. Mary’s Cathedral, Fall River, has become the occasion for ecumenical prayer among Christians of various traditions and denominations. It often happens that a member of the clergy from another Christian denomination delivers the reflection.  This service provides an opportunity in Holy Week for Christians to put aside their differences and join in a unified observance of the central beliefs they hold in common.

The service is about an hour long and it will be held on Wednesday of Holy Week, April 12th, at St. Mary’s Cathedral at 7:30PM. Fr. Healey would like to invite parishioners from Christ the King to accompany him to the service.  We would begin with a simple meal of soup and sandwich in the Rectory at 5PM and depart by bus at 6PM for Fall River. We should return by about 9:30PM.  Please fill out the form provided to indicate your interest in attending.

Please print and return the form below:

TENEBRAE

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Please RSVP by Monday April 10th by returning this form to the Parish Office