The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1911-04-08
WEEK
Services at the Cathedral-A Brief
Review Of the Principal
Ceremonies.

/ The order of services for Holy Week
at the Cathedral of st. Paul is as
/ follows:
On Palm Sunday, the blessing and
distribution of the palms by the Most
] Reverend Archbishop, takes place be-
/ fore the Solemn High Mass, at half
past ten o'clock.
On Wednesday evening, at eight
o'clock, the office of Tenebrae will be
Echanted by the seminarians. This will
be followed by sermon explanatory
of the Holy Week services.
On Holy Thursday, Pontifical Mass
will be celebrated by the Most Rever-
end Archbishop at ten o'clock. During
the Mass the Holy Oils will be blessed.
The Reverend Pastors of the Twin
Cities and the seminarians will assist.
At eight o'clock p. m. Tenebrae will
be sung; and the sermon will be
preached by the Most Reverend Arch
bishop.
/ ION Good Friday the Mass of the Pre-
Sanctified will take place at nine
O'Clock. In the evening the Office of
Tenebrae will be followed by sermon
on the Passion of Our Lord, and the
Way of the Cross.
/ On Holy Saturday the services will
4 begin at half past seven o'clock, and
Mass will be celebrated at nine o'clock.
ION Easter Sunday the Most Rever-
end Archbishop will celebrate Ponti-
fcal Mass at haf past ten o'clock, and
the. sermon will be preached bv the
Rev. H. R. Jordan of the Cathedral.
Hi PALM SUNDAY.
The ceremonies of Holy Week begin
with the blessing of the palms which
takes place Immediately. before the
principal Mass on Palm SUNDAY. At
it's conclusion the palms are borne in
procession to the vestibuIe of the
Church, when the doors are closed to
1 Rs.,g.fy the closing of the gates of
heaven against fallen man. After a
while the Cross-bearer strikes the door
with the cross; it opens and the pro-
cession enters, to symbolic the open
ing of heaven by our Divine Lord.
After the procession Mass is celebrated
and during the singing of the Passion
the palms are held in the hands as
a protest against the indignity offered
to Jesus by his enemies.
TENEBRAE.
On Wednesday, Thursday and Fri
day evenings the Office of Tenebrae is
sung. This is so called because it was
formerly said during the night: Tene-
brae means darkness. This ceremony
no doubt, refers to the time when the
Christians feared persecution and had
to select the night as the fittest time
for the celebration of their sacred
rites.
Tenebrae consists of portions of the
divine Office called Mathis and Lauds.
These comprise certain psalms and les
sons expressive of sorrow. During the
; Tenebrae the fifteen lighted candles
on large triangular candle-stick at
the Epistle side of the altar are ex-
tinguished one by one until only the
one at the top remains. During the
Benedictus the six candles of the altar
! are also snuffed out; and then the
remaining lighted candle. which repre-
sents our Lord, is hidden behind the
altar during the chanting of the Miser-
ere and the prayer. At the conclusion
of the prayer slight noise is made
+ and the candle is brought forth and
restored to it's place. The candles in
the sides of the triangular candle-stick
, are said to represent the patriarchs and
! prophets of the Old Law who gave the
. world the light of the imperfect reve'
lation which they possessed, but all
tending towards Him who is the Light
of the World AS these lights are ex
, tinguished so the former gave place tc
the latter.
J The noise made at the end of Tene
brae reminds us of the convulsions Of
: nature at the Savior's death; and the
restoration of the lighted candle typi
fies the Resurrection of our Lord from
the dead.
HOLY THURSDAY.
J. On this day the Church commemor
r ates the institution Of the Blessed
} Sacrament at the Last Supper. Tt
show her Joy the purple veil on the
s crucifix is replaced with white one
d The altar, likewise, is decorated will
d flowers and resplendent with myriad