Tenebrae this week

  • Thread starter Thread starter Roseeurekacross
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Roseeurekacross said:
This is a beautiful service. Go if you can
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After reading this on my parrish’s website I saw these listed. Have two questions.
  1. What is a tenebrae?
  2. Is the Easter Vigil a mass? (opposed to just lighting candes etc) A family member mentioned that one time they went to an Easter Vigil but it wasn’t a mass - not sure if they are confused.
 
Tenebrae is a beautiful service where the prayer of the Church is sung. Candles are lit and through the service , individually extinguished.
@OraLabora and @pianistclare. Can explain it much better then I can.

Regarding Holy Thursday and the vigil or watch on Holy Thursday,

My Australian Cathedral firstly does a Mass. Then we all go to the Church hall and do a watch for several hours. We adore the blessed sacrament and listen to our Bishop who might teach us about one aspect , or allow us to ask questions. At the completion of this we sing the night prayer of the Church.
The watch is to signify us staying awake with Jesus in the Garden on Holy Thursday, before He is arrested.
 
Holy Week…begins with Palm Sunday commemorating Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem
Tuesday of Holy Week: Chrism Mass with the Archbishop…Bishop blesses the new holy oils for the coming year…
Holy Thursday: One mass only this day…Mass of the Lord’s supper. Includes the Foot Washing ceremony, and afterward as Rose said the transferrance to the Altar of repose of the consecrated hosts…we have it until Midnight. The tabernacle is left standing open, signifying that Christ has left, gone to the garden and been arrested.
Good Friday, Stations at 3 PM…Veneration of the Cross and Communion with the reserved hosts from the previous night… The clergy prostrate themselves as sign of giving their lives in service, just as Jesus did Reproaches are sung, the passion is read again, and everyone leaves in silence. Some places do a Tenebrae service. There are readings accompanied by lit candles…long tapers…after each reading one light is blown out. Eventually, there is total darkness. The light of the Word has passed. People leave in silence form this service as well. Very moving.
Holy Saturday has the Easter VIvl. It is a long Mass, the biggest night of the entire church year.
Starts with a new fire, the lighting of the Easter candle, small tapers for everyone, and 7 readings with only the small tapers. When the Gloria returns the bells are triumphantly rung again, the lights come on and it’s exhilarating. Them Mass as usual, except those converting are baptized if necessary, and they areConfirmed. There are many pieces of music accompanying all fo this, from the many psalms to the singing of the Exultet at the very beginning, the first to receive Holy Communion. There so much, I probably left out something, but it’s glorious! Everyone should go to the Easter VIgil is they possibly can. It’s AMAZING and beautiful.
 
pianistclare said:
Starts with a new fire, the lighting of the Easter candle, small tapers for everyone, and 7 readings with only the small tapers. When the Gloria returns the bells are triumphantly rung again, the lights come on and it’s exhilarating.
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What I find interesting is that the Roman Missal calls for the lights to come on before the Exsultet! That makes perfect sense. Proclaiming the Light in the dark and then remaining in the dark for another 40 minutes or more until the Gloria is a nice dramatic touch but it makes no litugical sense.
 
pianistclare said:
You sure about that?
Never seen that in the Ordo.
We never put the full lights on until the Gloria.
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Yes, I’m sure. I’ve checked that several times over the last couple of years. The rubrics say that after the third “Light of Christ! Thanks be to God!” the lights in the church are turned on. Those were the rubrics before 2011 and they remain so in the 3rd Edition.
 
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pianistclare said:
This speaks of lighted tapers only.
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Then the Deacon places the paschal candle on a large candlestand prepared next to the ambo or in the middle of the sanctuary. And lights are lit throughout the church, except for the altar candles.

When it gets to the Gloria it only mentions that the altar candles are lit at that time. Nothing about lights in the church but definitely mention that the bells are rung at that time.
 
pianistclare said:
OK I see that now. But it’s not the norm here.
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I know, a lot of places stay in the dark at that time. But even in the old Sacramentary the rubric immediately after the third “Light of Christ” was “the lights in the church are put on.”
 
LOL

More dramatic in the dark. Much more symbolism, I suppose.
 
I’m new to the whole thing, but y’all’s posts are just making me look forward more and more to the entire week. 🙂
 
timber501 said:
Is the Easter Vigil a mass? (opposed to just lighting candes etc) A family member mentioned that one time they went to an Easter Vigil but it wasn’t a mass - not sure if they are confused.
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The term “Easter Vigil” just means the night before Easter. Most Catholic Churches have a Mass that night, but not all.
 
PaulfromIowa said:
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timber501:
Is the Easter Vigil a mass? (opposed to just lighting candes etc) A family member mentioned that one time they went to an Easter Vigil but it wasn’t a mass - not sure if they are confused.
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The term “Easter Vigil” just means the night before Easter. Most Catholic Churches have a Mass that night, but not all.
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Maybe parishes in rural areas with only one priest for several parishes – the priest would not able to celebrate the Easter Vigil at all of his assigned communities on a single night.

But here in the big city, I have honestly never ever EVER heard of a Catholic church not celebrating the Easter Vigil. It is the holiest night of the year, the most solemn of all masses. It would seem like the End Of Days if there were no Easter Vigil.
 
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And HAPPY BIRTHDAY @pianistclare!🎉

Thanks be to God for the gift of your life! 🎈🎁🎈🍰 🎈
 
My parish is doing three Tenebrae services – one each morning (at 5:30 am!) of the Triduum. We were told to bring flashlights to be able to follow along because the lights would be off in the church.

We’ve never had this before, and I’m so excited to be able to attend. Our new music director (never had one of those before either) and our pastor are making beautiful little changes and additions to the liturgical life of our parish!
 
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