The Washington herald., 1909-04-09
CATHOLICS CHANT TENEBRAE
Solemn Service Commentaries Pas
sion of Christ.
Pastors Who VIII Preach at Cere-
Crucifx Given TO St. PatrIck's.

In commemoration OF the passion OF
Christ and the sorrows which He expert
enced on the days Immediately preceding
His crucihxion. the Catholic churches in
Washington last evening held services.
in which the solemn music OF the tene-
brae was heard for the second time dur
ing Holy Week.
In all the parishes the tenebrae will be
chanted again tonight at 7:SO o'clock.
In harmony with the somber surround
ings, the solemn chant, accompanied by
the impressive ceremonies conducted IN
the sanctuary, were notable
Meaning darkness, the word tenebrae
was probably given 70 the services which
are held in every Catholic church in the
world on the three DAYS preceding Holy
Saturday, because OF the significant ex-
/ tingQishlng or candles which represent
Christ and HIS apostles.
Arranged In the shape OF a triangle.
the thirteen candles are lighted at the
/ beginning OF the services. As each chap
ter OF the ritual IS chanted by the priest.
! accompanied by the choir. the candles
| are extinguished one by one, in repre-
sentatiOn Of the departure OF Christ.
After the twelve candles are put out,
I the main candle, representing Christ, is
carried in procession 10 the rear OF the
altar and hidden there until the service
ends. This part OF the ceremony sig
nihes the burial OF Christ I'm the tomb
after He was taken down from the cross.
| At the high mass in all the churches
tomorrow the purple draperies that have
enshrouded the statues and all Ornamen-
! tation IN the churches during Lent will
be removed, and the altars viii again
present a gala scene when mass IS cele-
brated on Easter morning.
At the tenebrae service at 7:30 o'clock
I this evening at St. Patr1cks Church the
new cruciflx. donated by a member OF
the congregation viii be unveiled The
/ cross Is made Of wood In its natural
state, with the bark stiu on. to resemble
as nearly as possible what tradition tells
/ Of the real cross. DR.. Russell Will preach
the sermon at the unveiling.
! The services at the Franciscan Monas-
terry will begin at o'clock. with the
| alteration Of the cross. procession, and
mass Of the presanctified. At 3 o'clock
the Way OF the Cross; 4 o'clock. the ten
/ ebrae.
/ Sermons will be preached tonight IN
| the other Catholic churches as follows:
Shrine Of the Sacred Heart, Fourteenth
and Monroe streets. Rev. Joseph MCGEE.
/ pastor; Immaculate Conception. Eighth
and n streets. Rev. Father Beavans; St
Josephs Church, Second and c streets
northeast. Rev. Robert E Froelich. of
| the Catholic University: ST. Martins.
/ North Capitol and 7 streets. Rev. A. p.
/ Doyle. rector OF the Apostolic Mission
/ House; Church OF the Nativity. Bright
wood, Father Munday, Of the Catholic
/ University; st. Aloysius' Church, North
Capitol and I streets, the devotions Of
the three hours will begin at noon, SER
mon by the Rev. Owen = Hill, S. J., Of
/ Worcester. Mass; tenebrae and sermon
at 7:30 o'clock in the evening, Rev Will
! lam F. Cannon. s J.: Church Of the Holy
Name. Eleventh and II streets northeast,
sermon by one Of the Dominican fathers
/ from the College Of the Immaculate Con-
ception; Trinity Catholic Church, George
town, tenebrae, s o'clock, sermon by Rev.
/ Mark J. McNeal. OF woodstock College:
ST. PauI's. Fifteenth and V streets north
west. tenebrae and sermon by Rev. John
Harvey. G. S. P.