Tenebrae
Tenebrae is the name given to the canonical hours of Matins and Lauds for the last three days of Holy Week. The word ténebræ means "darkness" in Latin, reflecting the nature of the service.
Beginning at dusk on the eve of each of the final three days of Holy Week, Tenebrae consists of Matins followed immediately by Lauds. Throughout the service, fifteen candles on a special candelabra called a "hearse" are extinguished one-by-one after each psalm or canticle. The six altar candles and any remaining lights in the church are likewise gradually extinguished while the Canticle of Zachary is sung, after which the last candle on the hearse, still lit, is hidden behind the altar. In total darkness, the Christus factus est and then the Miserere mei, Deus are sung. Afterward is the strepitus ("noise, racket"), which symbolizes the earthquake that followed Christ's death. The hidden candle is then revealed, and extinguished.
As standardized in the Liber Usualis, the liturgy is thus:
| Maundy Thursday | Good Friday | Holy Saturday | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Matins | |||
| First Nocturn (Lessons from Lamentations of Jeremiah) | |||
| Antiphon | Zelus domus tuæ | Astitérunt reges terræ | In pace in idípsum |
| Psalm | Psalm 68 | Psalm 2 | Psalm 4 |
| Antiphon | Avertántur retrórsum | Divisérunt sibi | Habitábit |
| Psalm | Psalm 69 | Psalm 21 | Psalm 14 |
| Antiphon | Deus meus | Insurrexérunt in me | Caro mea |
| Psalm | Psalm 70 | Psalm 26 | Psalm 15 |
| Versicle | Avertántur retrórsum | Divisérunt sibi | In pace in idípsum |
| Pater noster (silent) | |||
| First Lesson | Lamentations 1:1-5 | Lamentations 2:8-11 | Lamentations 3:22-30 |
| First Responsory | In monte Oliveti | Omnes amici mei | Sicut ovis ad occisionem |
| Second Lesson | Lamentations 1:6-9 | Lamentations 2:12-15 | Lamentations 4:1-6 |
| Second Responsory | Tristis est anima mea | Velum templi | Jerusalem, surge |
| Third Lesson | Lamentations 1:10-14 | Lamentations 3:1-9 | Lamentations 5:1-11 |
| Third Reponsory | Ecce vidimus eum | Vinea mea electa | Plange quasi virgo |
| Second Nocturn (Lessons from Saint Augustine's Expositions on the Psalms) | |||
| Antiphon | Liberávit Dóminus | Vim faciébant | Elevámini |
| Psalm | Psalm 71 | Psalm 37 | Psalm 23 |
| Antiphon | Cogitavérunt ímpii | Confundántur | Credo vidére |
| Psalm | Psalm 72 | Psalm 39 | Psalm 26 |
| Antiphon | Exsúrge, Dómine | Aliéni insurrexérunt | Dómine, abstraxísti |
| Psalm | Psalm 73 | Psalm 53 | Psalm 29 |
| Versicle | Deus meus | Insurrexérunt in me | Tu autem |
| Pater noster (silent) | |||
| Fourth Lesson | From Exposition on Psalm 54 | From Exposition on Psalm 63 | |
| Fourth Responsory | Amicus meus osculi | Tamquam ad latronem | Recessit pastor noster |
| Fifth Lesson | From Exposition on Psalm 54 | From Exposition on Psalm 63 | |
| Fifth Responsory | Judas mercator pessimus | Tenebrae factae sunt | O vos omnes |
| Sixth Lesson | From Exposition on Psalm 54 | From Exposition on Psalm 63 | |
| Sixth Responsory | Unus ex discipulis | Animam meam dilectam | Ecce quomodo moritur |
| Third Nocturn (Lessons from 1 Corinthians and Hebrews) | |||
| Antiphon | Dixi iníquis | Ab insurgéntibus in me | Deus ádjuvat me |
| Psalm | Psalm 74 | Psalm 58 | Psalm 53 |
| Antiphon | Terra trémuit | Longe fecísti | In pace factus est |
| Psalm | Psalm 75 | Psalm 87 | Psalm 75 |
| Antiphon | In die tribulatiónis | Captábunt | Factus sum |
| Psalm | Psalm 76 | Psalm 93 | Psalm 87 |
| Versicle | Exsúrge, Dómine | Locúti sunt | In pace factus est |
| Pater noster (silent) | |||
| Seventh Lesson | 1 Corinthians 11:17-22 | Hebrews 4:11-15 | Hebrews 9:11-14 |
| Seventh Responsory | Eram quasi agnus innocens | Tradiderunt me | Astiterunt reges terrae |
| Eighth Lesson | 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 | Hebrews 4:16–5:3 | Hebrews 9:15-18 |
| Eighth Responsory | Una hora non potuistis | Jesum tradidit impius | Aestimatus sum |
| Ninth Lesson | 1 Corinthians 11:27-34 | Hebrews 5:4-10 | Hebrews 9:19-22 |
| Ninth Responsory | Seniores populi | Caligaverunt oculi mei | Sepulto Domino |
| Lauds | |||
| Antiphon | Justificéris, Dómine | Próprio Fílio suo | O mors |
| Psalm | Psalm 50 | ||
| Antiphon | Dóminus tamquam ovis | Anxiátus est | Plangent eum |
| Psalm | Psalm 89 | Psalm 142 | Psalm 91 |
| Antiphon | Contrítum est | Ait latro ad latrónem | Atténdite |
| Psalm | Psalm 35 | Psalm 84 | Psalm 63 |
| Antiphon | Exhortátus es | Cum conturbáta fúerit | A porta ínferi |
| Canticle | Canticle of Moses | Canticle of Habacuc | Canticle of Ezechias |
| Antiphon | Oblátus est | Meménto mei | O vos omnes |
| Psalm | Psalm 146 | Psalm 147 | Psalm 150 |
| Versicle | Homo pacis meæ | Collocávit me | Caro mea |
| Antiphon | Tráditor autem | Posuérunt | Mulíeres |
| Canticle of Zachary | |||
| Christus factus est | |||
| Pater noster (silent) | |||
| Miserere mei, Deus (Psalm 50) | |||
| Réspice, quǽsumus | |||
See also
- Lamentations of Jeremiah
- Tenebrae responsories
- View the Catholic Encyclopedia article on Tenebrae.
View the Wikipedia article on Tenebrae.