Tenebrae (—

Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...

for "darkness") is a religious service of

Western Christianity Western Christianity is one of two sub-divisions of Christianity ( Eastern Christianity being the other). Western Christianity is composed of the Latin Church and Western Protestantism, together with their offshoots such as the Old Catholic ...

held during the three days preceding Easter Day, and characterized by gradual extinguishing of candles, and by a "strepitus" or "loud noise" taking place in total darkness near the end of the service. Tenebrae was originally a celebration of

matins Matins (also Mattins) is a canonical hour in Christian liturgy, originally sung during the darkness of early morning. The earliest use of the term was in reference to the canonical hour, also called the vigil, which was originally celebrated b ...

and lauds of the last three days of

Holy Week Holy Week ( la, Hebdomada Sancta or , ; grc, Ἁγία καὶ Μεγάλη Ἑβδομάς, translit=Hagia kai Megale Hebdomas, lit=Holy and Great Week) is the most sacred week in the liturgical year in Christianity. In Eastern Churches, w ...

(

Maundy Thursday Maundy Thursday or Holy Thursday (also known as Great and Holy Thursday, Holy and Great Thursday, Covenant Thursday, Sheer Thursday, and Thursday of Mysteries, among other names) is the day during Holy Week that commemorates the Washing of the ...

, Good Friday, and

Holy Saturday Holy Saturday ( la, Sabbatum Sanctum), also known as Great and Holy Saturday (also Holy and Great Saturday), the Great Sabbath, Hallelujah Saturday (in Portugal and Brazil), Saturday of the Glory, Sabado de Gloria, and Black Saturday or Easter ...

) in the evening of the previous day (

Holy Wednesday In Christianity, Holy Wednesday commemorates the Bargain of Judas as a clandestine spy among the disciples. It is also called Spy Wednesday, or Good Wednesday (in Western Christianity), and Great and Holy Wednesday (in Eastern Christianity). I ...

, Maundy Thursday and Good Friday) to the accompaniment of special ceremonies that included the display of lighted candles on a special triangular candelabra. Modern celebrations called Tenebrae may be of quite different content and structure, based for example on the Seven Last Words or readings of the

Passion of Jesus In Christianity, the Passion (from the Latin verb ''patior, passus sum''; "to suffer, bear, endure", from which also "patience, patient", etc.) is the short final period in the life of Jesus Christ. Depending on one's views, the "Passion" m ...

. They may be held on only one day of Holy Week, especially Spy Wednesday (Holy Wednesday). They may be held during the daylight hours and the number of candles, if used, may vary. Tenebrae liturgical celebrations of this kind now exist in the

Catholic Church The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

's Latin liturgical rites,

Lutheranism Lutheranism is one of the largest branches of Protestantism, identifying primarily with the theology of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German monk and reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practice of the Catholic Church launched th ...

, Anglicanism,

Methodism Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a group of historically related denominations of Protestant Christianity whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's br ...

, Reformed churches and

Western Rite Orthodoxy Western Rite Orthodoxy, also called Western Orthodoxy or the Orthodox Western Rite, are congregations within the Eastern Orthodox tradition which perform their liturgy in Western forms. Besides altered versions of the Tridentine Mass, congrega ...

Catholic Church

Original form

In the

, "Tenebrae" is the name given to the celebration, with special ceremonies, of

and lauds, the first two hours of the Divine Office of each of the last three days of

. In the Roman Rite of the

Tenebrae was celebrated in all churches with a sufficient number of clergy until the

liturgical reforms of Pope Pius XII The liturgical reforms of Pope Pius XII took place mostly between 1947 and 1958. Groundwork On 20 November 1947, Pius XII issued the encyclical ''Mediator Dei''. It included the statement: "the use of the mother tongue in connection with several ...

in the 1950s. The traditions regarding this service go back at least to the ninth century. Matins, originally celebrated a few hours after midnight, and lauds, originally celebrated at dawn, were anticipated by the late Middle Ages on the afternoon or evening of the preceding day,Herbert Thurston,
Tenebrae
" ''Catholic Encyclopedia,'' vol. 14 (New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1912). and were given the name "Tenebrae" because concluding when darkness was setting in. The celebration of matins and lauds of these days on the previous evening in the form referred to as Tenebrae in churches with a sufficient number of clergy was universal in the Roman Rite until the reform of the Holy Week ceremonies by Pope Pius XII in 1955. He restored the

Easter Vigil Easter Vigil, also called the Paschal Vigil or the Great Vigil of Easter, is a liturgy held in traditional Christian churches as the first official celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus. Historically, it is during this liturgy that people are ...

as a night office, moving that Easter liturgy from Holy Saturday morning to the following night and likewise moved the principal liturgies of

Holy Thursday Maundy Thursday or Holy Thursday (also known as Great and Holy Thursday, Holy and Great Thursday, Covenant Thursday, Sheer Thursday, and Thursday of Mysteries, among other names) is the day during Holy Week that commemorates the Washing of the ...

and Good Friday from morning to afternoon or evening. Thus matins and lauds of Good Friday and

could no longer be anticipated on the preceding evening, and even matins and lauds of Holy Thursday was allowed to be anticipated only in the case of cathedral churches in which the

Chrism Mass The Chrism Mass is a religious service held in Roman Catholicism, Lutheranism, and Anglicanism. The Chrism Mass is one of the most solemn and important liturgies of the Christian liturgical calendar. The ancient Christian Apostolic Tradition (c ...

was held on Holy Thursday morning. The 1960

Code of Rubrics The Code of Rubrics is a three-part liturgical document promulgated in 1960 under Pope John XXIII, which in the form of a legal code indicated the liturgical and sacramental law governing the celebration of the Roman Rite Mass and Divine Office. ...

, which was incorporated in the next typical edition of the Roman Breviary, published on 5 April 1961, a year ahead of the publication of the 1962 edition of the Roman Missal, allowed no anticipation whatever of lauds, though matins alone could still be anticipated to the day before, later than the hour of vespers. In sum: * Until 1955 the three consecutive Tenebrae services for

, Good Friday and Holy Saturday, including the typical ceremonies such as the extinguishing of candles, with each of these three services anticipated on the previous evening, were widely celebrated as an integral part of the liturgy of Holy Week in churches with a sufficient number of clergy wherever the Roman Rite was followed. A rich tradition of music composed for these central occasions had developed. * From 1956 to 1970 the practice largely declined: ** The 1955 papal document restored the celebration of matins and lauds of Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday to their original timing as morning services, with only a little allowance for anticipating any of them on the evening before. On these three days attention shifted from what became morning services to the services that were now to be held in the afternoon or evening. Communal celebration of matins and lauds became limited generally to communities that observed the full Divine Office in congregational form. Matins and lauds, having lost their exceptional character, provided composers with little incentive to produce new music for them and there was no demand for grand performances of the existing music earlier composed for Tenebrae. ** The Roman Breviary, as updated in 1961, did not mention any specific Tenebrae ceremonies to accompany the no longer anticipated matins and lauds of Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday. * Finally, in the wake of the

Second Vatican Council The Second Ecumenical Council of the Vatican, commonly known as the , or , was the 21st ecumenical council of the Roman Catholic Church. The council met in St. Peter's Basilica in Rome for four periods (or sessions), each lasting between 8 and ...

, matins and lauds throughout the year were completely reformed. Matins, for instance, no longer had the nine

psalms The Book of Psalms ( or ; he, תְּהִלִּים, , lit. "praises"), also known as the Psalms, or the Psalter, is the first book of the ("Writings"), the third section of the Tanakh, and a book of the Old Testament. The title is derived ...

and lauds the five psalms that determined the number of candles extinguished in the Tenebrae celebration.

Structure of the original Tenebrae

The structure is the same for all three days. The first part of the service is

, which in its pre-1970 form is composed of three

nocturns Nocturns (Latin: ''nocturni'' or ''nocturna'') is a Christian canonical hour said in the nighttime. In the liturgy of the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church, nocturns refer to the sections into which the canonical hour of matins was divided from ...

, each consisting of three psalms, a short versicle and response, a silent

Pater Noster The Lord's Prayer, also called the Our Father or Pater Noster, is a central Christian prayer which Jesus taught as the way to pray. Two versions of this prayer are recorded in the gospels: a longer form within the Sermon on the Mount in the Gosp ...

, and three readings, each followed by a

responsory A responsory or respond is a type of chant in western Christian liturgies. Definition The most general definition of a responsory is any psalm, canticle, or other sacred musical work sung responsorially, that is, with a cantor or small group si ...

. The pre-1970 lauds consists of five psalms, a short versicle and response, and the

Benedictus Benedictus may refer to: Music * Benedictus (Song of Zechariah), ''Benedictus'' (''Song of Zechariah''), the canticle sung at Lauds, also called the Canticle of Zachary * The second part of the Sanctus, part of the Eucharistic prayer * Benedictus ...

Gospel

canticle A canticle (from the Latin ''canticulum'', a diminutive of ''canticum'', "song") is a hymn, psalm or other Christian song of praise with lyrics usually taken from biblical or holy texts. Canticles are used in Christian liturgy. Catholic Church ...

, followed by '' Christus factus est'', a silent Pater Noster, and the appointed

collect The collect ( ) is a short general prayer of a particular structure used in Christian liturgy. Collects appear in the liturgies of Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, Anglican, Methodist, Lutheran, and Presbyterian churches, among othe ...

. The

Gloria Patri The Gloria Patri, also known as the Glory Be to the Father or, colloquially, the Glory Be, is a doxology, a short hymn of praise to God in various Christian liturgies. It is also referred to as the Minor Doxology ''(Doxologia Minor)'' or Lesser ...

is not said after each psalm.

br>''The Complete Office of Holy Week According to the Roman Missal and Breviary, in Latin and English'', pp. 184–250; 282–336; 380–418
Benziger brothers, 1875 Prosper Guéranger, translated by Laurence Shepherd
''Passiontide and Holy Week'', Volume VI of The Liturgical Year, pp. 304–352; 414–450; 519–546
Dublin, 1870. The principal Tenebrae ceremony is the gradual extinguishing of

candles A candle is an ignitable wick embedded in wax, or another flammable solid substance such as tallow, that provides light, and in some cases, a fragrance. A candle can also provide heat or a method of keeping time. A person who makes candles ...

upon a stand in the sanctuary called a hearse. Eventually, the Roman Rite settled on fifteen candles, one of which is extinguished after each of the nine psalms of matins and the five of lauds. The six altar candles are put out during the Benedictus, gradually reducing also the lighting in the church throughout the chanting of the canticle.P. J. B. de Herdt, ''Sacrae liturgiae praxis, juxta ritum romanum'' (Vanlinthout, Louvain, 1863), vol. 3, p. 41
/ref> Then any remaining lights in the church are extinguished and the last candle on the hearse is hidden behind the altar (if the altar is such as does not hide the light, the candle, still lit, is put inside a candle lantern), ending the service in total darkness. The ''strepitus'' (Latin for "great noise"), made by slamming a book shut, banging a

hymnal A hymnal or hymnary is a collection of hymns, usually in the form of a book, called a hymnbook (or hymn book). Hymnals are used in congregational singing. A hymnal may contain only hymn texts (normal for most hymnals for most centuries of Chr ...

or breviary against the pew, or stomping on the floor, symbolizes the earthquake that followed Christ's death, although it may have originated as a simple signal to depart. After the candle has been shown to the people, it is extinguished, and then put "on the credence table," or simply taken to the sacristy. All rise and then leave in silence.

Table illustrating the contents of the service

Note that the 1 November 1911

reform of the Roman Breviary by Pope Pius X The reform of the Roman Breviary by Pope Pius X was promulgated by that Pope with the apostolic constitution ''Divino afflatu'' of 1 November 1911. The Roman Breviary is the title of the book obligatorily used for celebrating the Roman Rite D ...

radically reorganized the weekly recitation of the Psalter. In the Tridentine Roman Breviary of

Pope Pius V Pope Pius V ( it, Pio V; 17 January 1504 – 1 May 1572), born Antonio Ghislieri (from 1518 called Michele Ghislieri, O.P.), was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 8 January 1566 to his death in May 1572. He is v ...

(1568), Psalms 62/63 and 66/67 (treated as a single unit) and Psalms 148–150 (again treated as a single unit) were recited at lauds every day of the week. Pius X eliminated such repetitions and provided a quite different choice of psalms for lauds. The situation before the 1911 reform is illustrated in 19th-century publications such as Prosper Guéranger's ''Passiontide and Holy Week'', (Dublin 1870) and ''The Complete Office of Holy Week According to the Roman Missal and Breviary, in Latin and English'' (Benziger 1875). It is more difficult to find similar online 20th-century publication, but the text of the Tenebrae services as reformed by Pope Pius X in 1911 is available in the 1924 edition of the ''

Liber Usualis The ''Liber Usualis'' is a book of commonly used Gregorian chants in the Catholic tradition, compiled by the monks of the Abbey of Solesmes in France. According to Willi Apel, the chants in the ''Liber Usualis'' originated in the 11th century.Ap ...

''. The 1961 edition, with English rubrics and explanations, is available on more than one site. , - , 1st responsory , In monte Oliveti , Omnes amici mei ,

Sicut ovis Tenebrae responsories are the responsories sung following the lessons of Tenebrae, the Matins services of the last three days of Holy Week: Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday. Polyphonic settings to replace plainchant have been pu ...

, - , 2nd reading , , , , - , 2nd responsory ,

Tristis est anima mea Tristis est anima mea (Sad is my soul) is the Latin phrase with which starts. It is Tristis est anima mea (responsory), the second responsory of the Tenebrae for Maundy Thursday which was often set to music. It may also refer to: *Movement XI of ...

, Velum templi , Jerusalem surge , - , 3rd reading , , , - , 3rd responsory ,

Ecce vidimus Tenebrae responsories are the responsory, responsories sung following the lessons of Tenebrae, the Matins services of the last three days of Holy Week: Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday. polyphony, Polyphonic settings to replace plainc ...

, Vinea mea , Plange quasi virgo , - , ! colspan="3" , Second Nocturn (readings from

Saint Augustine Augustine of Hippo ( , ; la, Aurelius Augustinus Hipponensis; 13 November 354 – 28 August 430), also known as Saint Augustine, was a theologian and philosopher of Berber origin and the bishop of Hippo Regius in Numidia, Roman North Afr ...

's ''Commentaries on the Psalms'') , - , Antiphon , Liberavit Dominus , Vim faciebant , Elevamini , - ! Psalm , Psalm 71 ,

Psalm 37 Psalm 37 is the 37th psalm of the Book of Psalms, beginning in English in the King James Version: "Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity". The Book of Psalms is part of the third section ...

Psalm 23 Psalm 23 is the 23rd psalm of the Book of Psalms, beginning in English in the King James Version: "The Lord is my shepherd". In Latin, it is known by the incipit, "". The Book of Psalms is part of the third section of the Hebrew Bible, and a boo ...

, 4th candle extinguished at end , - , Antiphon , Cogitaverunt impii , Confundantur , Credo videre , - ! Psalm ,

Psalm 72 Psalm 72 is the 72nd psalm from the Book of Psalms. Traditionally seen as being written by King Solomon, its heading may be translated 'to or for Solomon'. In the slightly different numbering system used in the Greek Septuagint and Latin Vulgate t ...

, Psalm 39 , Psalm 26 , 5th candle extinguished at end , - , Antiphon , Exsurge, Domine , Alieni insurrexerunt , Domine, abstraxisti , - ! Psalm ,

Psalm 73 Psalm 73 (Masoretic numbering, psalm 72 in Greek numbering) is the opening psalm of Book 3 of the Book of Psalms and the second of the "Psalms of Asaph". It has been categorized as one of the Wisdom Psalms", but some writers are hesitant about us ...

, Psalm 53 ,

Psalm 29 Psalm 29 is the 29th psalm of the Book of Psalms, beginning in English in the King James Version: "Give unto the LORD, O ye mighty, give unto the LORD glory and strength". The Book of Psalms is part of the third section of the Hebrew Bible, and ...

, 6th candle extinguished at end , - , Versicle , Deus meus, eripe me , Insurrexerunt in me , Tu autem , - , , colspan="3" style="text-align:center;" , Our Father (silent) , - , 4th reading , from ''Comm. on

Psalm 54 Psalm 54 is the 54th psalm of the Book of Psalms, beginning in English in the King James Version: "Save me, O God, by thy name, and judge me by thy strength". In the slightly different numbering system used in the Greek Septuagint and Latin Vul ...

''Augustine, ''Exposition on Psalm 55''
/ref> , colspan="2" , from ''Commentary on

Psalm 63 Psalm 63 is the 63rd psalm of the Book of Psalms, beginning in English in the King James Version: "O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee". In the slightly different numbering system of the Greek Septuagint version of the Bible and the L ...

''Augustine, ''Exposition on Psalm 64''
/ref> , - , 4th responsory ,

Amicus meus Tenebrae responsories are the responsory, responsories sung following the lessons of Tenebrae, the Matins services of the last three days of Holy Week: Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday. polyphony, Polyphonic settings to replace plainc ...

, Tamquam ad latronem , Recessit pastor noster , - , 5th reading , from ''Comm. on

'' , colspan="2" , from ''Commentary on

'' , - , 5th responsory , Judas mercator pessimus ,

Tenebrae factae sunt Tenebrae responsories are the responsories sung following the lessons of Tenebrae, the Matins services of the last three days of Holy Week: Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday. Polyphonic settings to replace plainchant have been publis ...

, O vos omnes , - , 6th reading , from ''Comm. on

'' , colspan="2" , from ''Commentary on

'' , - , 6th responsory , Unus ex discipulis , Animam meam dilectam , Ecce quomodo , - , ! colspan="3" , Third Nocturn (readings from two New Testament epistles) , - , Antiphon , Dixi iniquis , Ab insurgentibus , Deus adjuvat me , - ! Psalm ,

Psalm 74 Psalm 74 is the 74th psalm of the Book of Psalms, beginning in English in the King James Version: "O God, why hast thou cast us off for ever?". In the slightly different numbering system used in the Greek Septuagint and Latin Vulgate translation ...

Psalm 58 Psalm 58 is the 58th psalm of the Book of Psalms, beginning in English in the King James Version: "Do ye indeed speak righteousness, O congregation?". In the slightly different numbering system of the Greek Septuagint version of the Bible and t ...

, Psalm 53 , 7th candle extinguished at end , - , Antiphon , Terra tremuit , Longe fecisti , In pace factus , - ! Psalm , Psalm 75 ,

Psalm 87 Psalm 87 is the 87th psalm from the Book of Psalms. It was written by the sons of Korach. It describes Jerusalem as the center of the world or the "mother of nations", where God placed the Torah. In the slightly different numbering system of the ...

, Psalm 75 , 8th candle extinguished at end , - , Antiphon , In die tribulationis , Captabunt , Factus sum , - ! Psalm , Psalm 76 ,

Psalm 93 Psalm 93 is the 93rd psalm of the Book of Psalms, beginning in English in the King James Version: "The LORD reigneth, he is clothed with majesty". The Latin wording is Dominus regnavit, decorem indutus est.

, 9th candle extinguished at end , - , Versicle , Exsurge, Domine , , In pace factus est , - , , colspan="3" style="text-align:center;" , Our Father (silent) , - , 7th reading , , , , - , 7th responsory , Eram quasi agnus innocens , Tradiderunt me , Astiterunt reges terrae , - , 8th reading , , , - , 8th responsory , Una hora , Jesum tradidit , Aestimatus sum , - , 9th reading , , , , - , 9th responsory , Seniores populi , Caligaverunt oculi mei ,

Sepulto Domino Tenebrae responsories are the responsories sung following the lessons of Tenebrae, the Matins services of the last three days of Holy Week: Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday. Polyphonic settings to replace plainchant have been publi ...

, - , ! colspan="3" style="background: #ffdead;" , Lauds , - , Antiphon , Justificeris, Domine , Proprio Filio , O mors , - ! Psalm , colspan="3" style="text-align:center;" ,

Psalm 50 Psalm 50, a Psalm of Asaph, is the 50th psalm from the Book of Psalms in the Bible, beginning in English in the King James Version: "The mighty God, even the LORD, hath spoken, and called the earth from the rising of the sun unto the going down ...

( Miserere) , 10th candle extinguished at end , - , Antiphon , Dominus tamquam ovis , Anxiatus est , Plangent eum , - ! Psalm ,

Psalm 89 Psalm 89 is the 89th psalm in the biblical Book of Psalms, part of the Hebrew Bible, described as a maschil Charles H. SpurgeonPsalm 89 in "Treasury of David" or "contemplation". In the slightly different numbering system used in the Greek Septua ...

Psalm 142 Psalm 142 is the 142nd psalm of the biblical Book of Psalms in the Masoretic text and modern numbering, part of the final Davidic collection of psalms, comprising Psalms 138 to 145, which are specifically attributed to David in their opening ver ...

Psalm 91 Psalm 91 is the 91st psalm of the Book of Psalms, beginning in English in the King James Version: "He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty." In Latin, it is known as 'Qui habitat". As a p ...

(pre-1912)
Psalm 91 (from 1912) , 11th candle extinguished at end , - , Antiphon , Contritum est cor meum , Ait latro ad latronem , Attendite , - ! Psalm , Psalms 62+ 66+ (pre-1912)

Psalm 35 Psalm 35 is the 35th psalm of the Book of Psalms, beginning in English in the King James Version: "Plead my cause, O LORD, with them that strive with me: fight against them that fight against me." It is titled there: ''The Lord the Avenger of His ...

(from 1912) , Psalms 62+ 66 (pre-1912)
Psalm 84 (from 1912) , Psalms 62+ 66 (pre-1912)

(from 1912) , 12th candle extinguished at end , - , Antiphon , Exhortatus es , Dum conturbata , A porta inferi , - ! Old Testament

, Canticle of Moses
, Canticle of Habacuc
, Canticle of Ezechias
, 13th candle extinguished at end , - , Antiphon , Oblatus est , Memento mei , O vos omnes qui transitis , - ! Psalm , Psalms 148+ 149+ 150 (pre-1912)
Psalm 146 (from 1912) , Psalms 148+ 149+ 150 (pre-1912)
Psalm 147 (from 1912) , Psalms 148+ 149+ 150 (pre-1912)

Psalm 150 Psalm 150 is the 150th and final psalm of the Book of Psalms, beginning in English in the King James Version: "Praise ye the . Praise God in his sanctuary". In Latin, it is known as "Laudate Dominum in sanctis eius". In Psalm 150, the psalmist ...

(from 1912) , 14th candle extinguished at end , - , Versicle , Homo pacis meae , Collocavit me , Caro mea , - , Antiphon , Traditor autem , Posuerunt super caput , Mulieres sedentes , - !

, colspan="3" style="text-align:center;" , Canticle of Zachary
, Altar candles extinguished at
different verses of Benedictus;
Last burning candle hidden
after repeat of antiphon , - , , colspan="3" style="text-align:center;" , Christus factus est (based on ) , - , , colspan="3" style="text-align:center;" , Our Father (silent) , - , , colspan="3" style="text-align:center;" ,

( Miserere), omitted after 1955 , , - ! Prayer , colspan="3" style="text-align:center;" , Respice quaesumus , Followed by ''strepitus'';
last candle brought back , -

Music

The lessons of the first

nocturn Nocturns (Latin: ''nocturni'' or ''nocturna'') is a Christian canonical hour said in the nighttime. In the liturgy of the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church, nocturns refer to the sections into which the canonical hour of matins was divided from ...

are taken on all three days from the

Book of Lamentations The Book of Lamentations ( he, אֵיכָה, , from its incipit meaning "how") is a collection of poetic laments for the destruction of Jerusalem in 586 BCE. In the Hebrew Bible it appears in the Ketuvim ("Writings") as one of the Five Megill ...

and are sung to a specific Gregorian

reciting tone In chant, a reciting tone (also called a recitation tone) can refer to either a repeated musical pitch or to the entire melodic formula for which that pitch is a structural note. In Gregorian chant, the first is also called tenor, dominant or tub ...

, which has been called "the saddest melody within the whole range of music". The

Lamentations of Jeremiah the Prophet ''The Lamentations of Jeremiah the Prophet'' have been set by various composers. Renaissance England Thomas Tallis set the first lesson, and second lesson, of Tenebrae on Maundy Thursday between 1560, and 1569: "when the practice of making music ...

have been set to polyphonic music by many composers, including

Palestrina Palestrina (ancient ''Praeneste''; grc, Πραίνεστος, ''Prainestos'') is a modern Italian city and ''comune'' (municipality) with a population of about 22,000, in Lazio, about east of Rome. It is connected to the latter by the Via Pre ...

, Tallis and

Lassus Orlande de Lassus ( various other names; probably – 14 June 1594) was a composer of the late Renaissance. The chief representative of the mature polyphonic style in the Franco-Flemish school, Lassus stands with Giovanni Pierluigi da Pales ...

. Such High-Renaissance polyphonic choral settings of Lamentations at Tenebrae, culminating in those of Lassus (1584), share the same texts with, but in musical idiom are to be distinguished from, the French Baroque genre of Leçons de ténèbres, as composed by

Marc-Antoine Charpentier Marc-Antoine Charpentier (; 1643 – 24 February 1704) was a French Baroque composer during the reign of Louis XIV. One of his most famous works is the main theme from the prelude of his ''Te Deum'', ''Marche en rondeau''. This theme is still us ...

(54 settings, H.91 - H.144),

Michel Lambert Michel Lambert (1610 – 29 June 1696) was a French singing master, theorbist and composer. Career Lambert was born at Champigny-sur-Veude, France. He received his musical education as an altar boy at the Chapel of Gaston d'Orléans, a brother of ...

, and François Couperin. In the 20th century

Ernst Krenek Ernst Heinrich Krenek (, 23 August 1900 – 22 December 1991) was an Austrian, later American, composer of Czech origin. He explored atonality and other modern styles and wrote a number of books, including ''Music Here and Now'' (1939), a study ...

wrote a '' Lamentatio Jeremiae prophetae'', Op. 93 (1941-1942), and Igor Stravinsky composed '' Threni'' (1957-1958). Each day, the lessons of the second nocturn are from writings of St. Augustine, and the lessons of the third nocturn from two New Testament epistles. These are chanted to the ordinary lesson tone and have been relatively neglected by composers, though there are a few settings by Manuel Cardoso. The Tenebrae responsories have been set by, among others,

, Gesualdo,

Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada * Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory * Victoria, Seychelle ...

Francesco Antonio Vallotti Francesco Antonio Vallotti (11 June 1697 – 10 January 1780) was an Italian composer, music theorist, and organist. Life He was born in Vercelli. He studied with G. A. Bissone at the church of St. Eusebius, and joined the Franciscan order ...

, and

Jan Dismas Zelenka Jan Dismas Zelenka (16 October 1679 – 23 December 1745), baptised Jan Lukáš Zelenka was a Czech composer and musician of the Baroque period. His music is admired for its harmonic inventiveness and mastery of counterpoint. Zelenka was rais ...

Gregorio Allegri Gregorio Allegri (17 February 1652) was a Roman Catholic priest and Italian composer of the Roman School and brother of Domenico Allegri; he was also a singer. He was born"Allegri, Gregorio" in ''Chambers's Encyclopædia''. London: George Newne ...

's setting of the ''Miserere'' psalm, to be sung at the Tenebrae Lauds, is one of the best known compositions for the service. Also Gesualdo includes a setting of that psalm in his ''

Responsoria et alia ad Officium Hebdomadae Sanctae spectantia ''Responsoria et alia ad Officium Hebdomadae Sanctae spectantia'' is a collection of music for Holy Week by Italian composer Carlo Gesualdo, published in 1611. It consists of three sets of nine short pieces, one set for each of Maundy Thursday, G ...

'', along with a setting of the Benedictus.

Roman Rite since 1970

After the 1970 revision of the Roman Breviary, now called the

Liturgy of the Hours The Liturgy of the Hours (Latin: ''Liturgia Horarum'') or Divine Office (Latin: ''Officium Divinum'') or ''Opus Dei'' ("Work of God") are a set of Catholic prayers comprising the canonical hours, often also referred to as the breviary, of the ...

, a 1988 circular letter from the

Congregation for Divine Worship it, Dicastero per il Culto Divino e la Disciplina dei Sacramenti , type = Dicastery , seal = Coat of arms Holy See.svg , seal_size = 100px , seal_caption = Coat of arms of the Holy See , logo = , p ...

recommended communal celebration of the

Office of Readings Matins (also Mattins) is a canonical hour in Christian liturgy, originally sung during the darkness of early morning. The earliest use of the term was in reference to the canonical hour, also called the vigil, which was originally celebrated by ...

and Morning Prayer − which were formerly called matins and lauds − on Good Friday and Holy Saturday, and remarked that this office was "formerly called 'Tenebrae'". The ''General Instruction of the Liturgy of the Hours'' says: "Before morning Lauds on Good Friday and Holy Saturday, the Office of Readings is, if possible, to be celebrated publicly and with the people taking part." The ''Ceremonial of Bishops'' (1984) says: "It is also desirable that, if at all possible, the bishop take part with the clergy and people in the office of readings and morning prayer on Good Friday and Holy Saturday." The Office of Readings and Morning Prayer have only 6 psalms (3 in either hour), not the older form's 14, after each of which a candle was extinguished. The readings are no longer 3, divided into 9 sections, but 2 longer readings, and there is provision for extending the Office of Readings on more solemn occasions. In the older form, liturgical practice on those days differed from that on other days, even those of Lent: for instance, ''Gloria Patri'' was not included at the end of psalms and responsories. The office of Tenebrae was abandoned at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem only in 1977 − although the rule against anticipation of Matins and Lauds to the previous evening was already in effect there − because the times of Catholic Holy Week services had to remain unchanged due to the established rights of other churches. '' Summorum Pontificum'' (2007) permits clerics bound to recitation of the Divine Office to use the 1961 Roman Breviary. Several religious and secular institutes and societies of apostolic life have availed themselves of this permission. The 1955 and 1960 changes incorporated into that edition of the Breviary continue to exclude anticipation of matins and lauds to the previous evening, whether celebrated with or without the Tenebrae ceremonies. Services called Tenebrae, differing in several respects from the original form and not necessarily connected with

, are held even where the pre-Vatican II 1961 Roman Breviary is not used: * The Jesuit Institute provides a service, denominated Tenebrae, without psalms and not necessarily in darkness, in which a candle is extinguished after the reading of each of seven Scripture passages related to the

. * A modified form of the old-style Tenebrae that leaves the church in darkness is used by the Canons Regular of Saint John Cantius in Chicago. * Several Catholic cathedrals and other churches arrange one-off services with Gregorian chant and polyphonic music from the traditional Tenebrae service, sometimes as an evening concert. Unlike the original well-attended Tenebrae, these modern adaptations have attracted little attention on the part of musical composers.

Other Western Christian Churches

Some

Protestant denomination A Christian denomination is a distinct religious body within Christianity that comprises all church congregations of the same kind, identifiable by traits such as a name, particular history, organization, leadership, theological doctrine, worsh ...

s retained elements of the Roman Tenebrae liturgy, or added others. The Tenebrae services in the

Lutheran Lutheranism is one of the largest branches of Protestantism, identifying primarily with the theology of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German monk and Protestant Reformers, reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practice of the Cathol ...

, Anglican,

United Methodist The United Methodist Church (UMC) is a worldwide mainline Protestant denomination based in the United States, and a major part of Methodism. In the 19th century, its main predecessor, the Methodist Episcopal Church, was a leader in evangelic ...

United Church of Christ The United Church of Christ (UCC) is a mainline Protestant Christian denomination based in the United States, with historical and confessional roots in the Congregational, Calvinist, Lutheran, and Anabaptist traditions, and with approximatel ...

and

Presbyterian Presbyterianism is a part of the Reformed tradition within Protestantism that broke from the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland by John Knox, who was a priest at St. Giles Cathedral (Church of Scotland). Presbyterian churches derive their nam ...

Churches all contain "the pattern of extinguishing the candles (and the overhead lights) and restoring the Christ candle", along with the ''strepitus''. Some liturgical

Baptist Baptists form a major branch of Protestantism distinguished by baptizing professing Christian believers only ( believer's baptism), and doing so by complete immersion. Baptist churches also generally subscribe to the doctrines of soul compe ...

congregations also hold Tenebrae Services. Variations of Tenebrae are sometimes celebrated in less formal or non-denominational churches as well. Some Tenebrae responsory settings led their own life in Protestant practice, for instance: *

Jacob Handl Jacobus Gallus (a.k.a. Jacob(us) Handl, Jacob(us) Händl, Jacob(us) Gallus; sl, Jakob Petelin Kranjski; between 15 April and 31 July 155018 July 1591) was a late-Renaissance composer of presumed Slovene ethnicity.Skei/Pokorn, Grove online Born ...

's '' Ecce quomodo moritur justus'' * The ''

'' setting attributed to

Johann Kuhnau Johann Kuhnau (; 6 April 16605 June 1722) was a German polymath, known primarily as a composer today. He was also active as a novelist, translator, lawyer, and music theorist, and was able to combine these activities with his duties in his offici ...

Anglican practice

Those Anglican churches that celebrate the Tenebrae service do so on Spy Wednesday, thereby preserving the importance of the Maundy Thursday and Good Friday observances. In its Book of Occasional Services, the

Episcopal Church (United States) The Episcopal Church, based in the United States with additional dioceses elsewhere, is a member church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. It is a mainline Protestant denomination and is divided into nine provinces. The presiding bishop ...

provides for a single Tenebrae service on Holy Wednesday in the evening. That service preserves the number of nine Tenebrae lessons, each followed by a responsory. Church Publishing also offers a booklet called, In the Shadows of Holy Week: The Office of Tenebrae. It provides the full ancient form of Tenebrae as it appears in basic outline in The Book of Occasional Services. This booklet develops that outline providing all of the materials necessary for a recitation of the office: All of the psalms, canticles, responsories, antiphons, and readings are reproduced in full. Rubrics guide participants through each phase of the service. [Source: In the Shadows of Holy Week: The Office of Tenebrae. Compiled by the Rev Frederick C. Elwood. Edited by the Rev Dr. John L. Hooker. New York: Church Publishing (formerly The Church Hymnal Corporation). Copyright 1996 by the Church Pension Fund. Parishes of the Anglican Church of Canada that do celebrate Tenebrae follow a variety of practices. The Church of St. Mary Magdalene (Toronto) is notable for the excellence of its music, of which the musical Tenebrae services are exemplary. Christ Church Cathedral (Fredericton) uses Tenebrae in a sung traditional language form on the Wednesday evening of Holy Week which includes lessons from Jeremiah with responding psalms, the fourth being from John 17, and Benedictus. At the Church of the Epiphany (Oakville) Tenebrae is described as the reversal of the Advent wreath: "starting Lent with the brightness of six candles, the darkness grows as a candle is extinguished each week in anticipation of Jesus dying on the cross on Good Friday." This abbreviated Tenebrae liturgy begins worship services on Sundays during Lent. The Sisterhood of Saint John the Divine have their own liturgy, "The Order of Tenebrae", published in 1933.

Lutheran practice

churches that observe the celebration, the Tenebrae service is typically held on Good Friday. There is a gradual dimming of the lights and extinguishing of the candles as the service progresses. Toward the end of the service, the Christ candle, if present, is removed from the sanctuary. A concluding ''Strepitus'', or loud noise, typically made by slamming shut the

Bible The Bible (from Koine Greek , , 'the books') is a collection of religious texts or scriptures that are held to be sacred in Christianity, Judaism, Samaritanism, and many other religions. The Bible is an anthologya compilation of texts ...

, is made, symbolizing the earthquake that took place, and the agony of creation, at the death of Christ.

Methodist practice

In the

Methodist Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a group of historically related denominations of Protestant Christianity whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's ...

tradition, fourteen candles, along with a central Christ candle, are lit on the Tenebrae hearse after the Opening Prayer. They are consequently extinguished after each of the Tenebrae lessons. Prior to the reading of the sixteenth lesson, the Christ candle on the Tenebrae hearse is extinguished and then the

church bell A church bell in Christian architecture is a bell which is rung in a church for a variety of religious purposes, and can be heard outside the building. Traditionally they are used to call worshippers to the church for a communal service, and to ...

s are tolled. The sixteenth lesson is read in darkness, followed by the conclusion of the liturgy.

Polish National Catholic practice

The Polish National Catholic service usually takes place on Good Friday, mostly at night. A standing cross is put on the altar with a black veil over it and 12 to 14 candles are placed behind it. The service has a combination of Bitter Lamentations, Matins, and Vespers. Several of the PNCC clergy, vested with cantors, are seated at the high place and the service is chanted. Gradually a minor cleric puts out each candle except for the top one that is taken around the sanctuary into the

vestry A vestry was a committee for the local secular and ecclesiastical government for a parish in England, Wales and some English colonies which originally met in the vestry or sacristy of the parish church, and consequently became known colloquiall ...

. At that time a moment of silence is held for Christ's death. Then the candle is placed back; the lights in the church are turned back on; and the final hymns are sung.

Reformed practice

Congregationalist versions of Tenebrae service, particularly on Maundy Thursday or Good Friday, often contain readings from the gospels which describe the time between the

Last Supper Image:The Last Supper - Leonardo Da Vinci - High Resolution 32x16.jpg, 400px, alt=''The Last Supper'' by Leonardo da Vinci - Clickable Image, Depictions of the Last Supper in Christian art have been undertaken by artistic masters for centuries, ...

and the

Passion of Christ In Christianity, the Passion (from the Latin verb ''patior, passus sum''; "to suffer, bear, endure", from which also "patience, patient", etc.) is the short final period in the life of Jesus Christ. Depending on one's views, the "Passion" m ...

"Tenebrae: Service of Shadows – Good Friday – April 6, 2012"
in
Worship Ways
'

Western Orthodox practice

Some

Western Rite Orthodox Western Rite Orthodoxy, also called Western Orthodoxy or the Orthodox Western Rite, are congregations within the Eastern Orthodox tradition which perform their liturgy in Western forms. Besides altered versions of the Tridentine Mass, congrega ...

parishes observe the service of Tenebrae. Among some of the Byzantine Rite Orthodox the nearest equivalent is

Matins Matins (also Mattins) is a canonical hour in Christian liturgy, originally sung during the darkness of early morning. The earliest use of the term was in reference to the canonical hour, also called the vigil, which was originally celebrated b ...

Great Friday Good Friday is a Christian holiday commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus and his death at Calvary. It is observed during Holy Week as part of the Paschal Triduum. It is also known as Holy Friday, Great Friday, Great and Holy Friday (also Holy ...

, when a candlestick with 12 candles is set up in the center of the

temple A temple (from the Latin ) is a building reserved for spiritual rituals and activities such as prayer and sacrifice. Religions which erect temples include Christianity (whose temples are typically called churches), Hinduism (whose temples ...

behind the

analogion An analogion ( el, Ἀναλόγιον) is a lectern or slanted stand on which icons or the Gospel Book are placed for veneration by the faithful in the Eastern Orthodox Church and Eastern Catholic Churches. It may also be used as a lectern ...

from which the Twelve Passion Gospels are read. However, here after each reading one of the candles is lit rather than extinguished.

References

External links

Catholic devotions: Tenebrae

–

Catholic Encyclopedia The ''Catholic Encyclopedia: An International Work of Reference on the Constitution, Doctrine, Discipline, and History of the Catholic Church'' (also referred to as the ''Old Catholic Encyclopedia'' and the ''Original Catholic Encyclopedia'') i ...

article
Tenebrae Hearse
–

article
Presbyterian Tenebrae Order of Service

United Methodist Church Tenebrae

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