The Saint Paul globe., 1899-03-30
7ENEBRAE Y. SAID
SPY WEDNESDAY IS sOLEMNLY
CELEBRATED AT THE CATHE-
DRAL-IN ST. PAUL
BISHOP o'GoRMAN IN CHARGE
Mourning for the Death of Christ
Begins In Catholic Circles-
Services to nc Held livery Day
This week-What Was Meant by
the Ritual which Was Gone
Through. tr ~


Through. 'lf 81
Sian
The tenebrae was said at tho cathedral
last night. the occasion being known in
Catholic circles as Spy Wednesday, being
the day the spies OF the high priests were
set upon Christ. The services were con-
Quoted by Bishop O. Gorman, assisted by
Fathers Mead. Lawler and Dolan.
The church showed visible signs of
mourning. The sanctuary looked de-
serted and unfurnished The tabernacle
stood unopened, for the blessed sacra-
ment mad been removed. The veil Of tho
tabernacle, flowers and other ornaments
were gone. Nothing remained on the al
tar except the yelled scrucifix and the six
candles In the center of the sanctuary
stood the book for the psalms and les
sons. At the epistle side stood large
triangular candlestick holding fifteen can
dies. .ett-t
The office celebrated last night Is called
tenebrae because 1t pictures by the grad
ual darkness of the church the darkness
which overshadowed the world at the
death of Jesus Christ. 1t includes the ex-
tlnguish1ng of all the candles which have
been prepared in the sanctuary for the
ceremony.
The six candles on the altar and the
hfteen candles In the triangular frame
are burning at the beginning of the Of
fce. signifying the lights of faith
preached by the prophets and the Lord,
of which the fundamental article Is the
blessed Trinity, represented by the trian-
gular candlestick At the repetition Of
the fourteen antiphons In the mathis and
lauds fourteen candles In the triangular
candlestick were extinguished, and at the
last six verses those ON the altar were
put out, to show that the Jews were to-
tally deprived Of the light of faith when
they put the Savior to death.
But the fifteenth, candle, which repre-
sents the light of-the world, Jesus Christ,
was only hidden for time under the
altar, to signify that, though Christ. ac-
cording to His humanity, died and was
laid in the sepulchre, yet He was always
alive, according to His divinity. by which
He raised His body again to life.
When the Miserere and prayer were
said the cathedral was darkened At the
conclusion of the prayer loud noise was
heard in the sanctuary. This was made
to represent the confusion of nature at
Christ's death. a,ft
The services consisted of mathis and
lauds The mathis were in three parts,
called nocturns, each being made up of
consisted of five, psalms, followed by the
Canticle Of Zachary, and the whole Of
flee was closed with the Fiftieth psalm
and a collect.
Father Mead preached a short sermon.
in which he spoke of the nature of the
services held during Holy week, and the
help that they gave to good Catholics.
Today Holy Thursday will be cele-
brated. This day is also called Maunday-
Thursday, from the Latin word Manda-
tum, which means command, and refers
to the washing Of the disciples feet by
Jesus Christ. The Eucharist was insti-
tuted at the last supper, which was held
on this day. At cathedrals the holy oils,
used in comforting the sacraments, dur
ing this year are blessed by the bishop,
assisted by his clergy There are three
oils; that of the sick for extreme unction,
that of catechumenS2 for baptism. and
that of chrism for baptism, confrma-
ton, orders and solemn CONSIDERATIONS.
At the mass on this day two hosts are
consecrated; one for the sacrifice Of the
day, the other to be carried in solemn pro-
cession to place adorned with lights
and flowers, called the repository where
it is kept with great splendor for the office.
Of the next day. The services are of
mingled JOY and sadness. The holy Eu-
charist is celebrated with splendor as OBJ
served in the white vestments Of the ceIe-
vi dIil dIu ClcISyp duu lie tlIul dUOrIl-
ments of the altar. Yet it is the eve Of
the Lords DEATH After the Gloria is
sung by the choir the chant Is conducted
without accompaniment of the organ or
other instrument the bells are silenced,
nor are they again rung until the sing
ing Of the same Angelical hymn on Holy
Saturday. On the return of the process
sion from the repository after mass, the
altars are stripped of their coverings and
other ornaments, presenting thereafter an
appearance of woe and desolation. During
this day and the earlier hours of Friday
the faithful visit the Lord in the reposi-
tory to pay deep and reverential adora-
ton to Him and to offer prayers of praise
and petition. In the evening the tenebrae
is again held. 81
Good Friday, Holy Saturday and Easter
will also be celebrated in the cathedral
with appropriate ceremony.
The cathedral last night was crowded,
many of the congregation being unable to
obtain seats. iis7