The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1918-04-13
THE TENERRAE.

to assist at the solemn office, recited
or sung in our paroohial and cathedral
churches on Good Friday night, there
is unfolded a. solemn scene, substan-
TALLY the same as that, which met the
eye, and uplifted both the mind and
the heart of the devoted followers Of
ST.. Benedict in the fifth century of the
Christian era.
Why this open tabernacle? Why this
triangle with its fifteen dark yellow
candles? Why extinguish these burn
ing tapers at. the close of each psalm?
Why leave brightly burning the one
fixed at the top of the triangle2 Why
remove this candle and hide it for a
short time behind the altar?
Why the solemn Miserere, the un-
usual noise? Why the reappearance
of the burning candle, at the extine-
ton of which this funeral-like service
is brought to close All these sym
bols have tongue; listen to their mes
sage.
This interesting Office, like those re-
cited by the priest daily throughout
the year, used to be sung in the monas-
teries shortly after midnight. AS the
death of Our Blessed Saviour was the
dominant thought in the morning cere-
monies of Good Friday, it was deemed
becoming to mark His absence by leav-
ing open the tabernacle door, and to
give to the evening Office a character
somewhat funereal. The triangle
served to recall, the Blessed Trinity,
God, one in substance and in nature,
three in Person, all three cooperating
in mans creation, redemption and
sanctification.
OF the fifteen lighted candles, the
uppermost is the emblem of Our Re-
deemer, foretold by the prophets and
surrounded by His apostles. The
gradual extinction of these tapers, re-
calls, how the testimony of the
prophets was ignored, and how the
support of friendly companionship was
withheld by the cowardly, fleeing apos-
ties. As Jesus can die. no more, His
blessed death is figured by hiding be.
hind the altar the candle symbolizing
Him, while the faithful on Bonded
knees, confessing their guilt in caus
ling His sufferings and death, express
their sorrow in the words of the
repentant king. David.
The church thus left in comparative
darkness (hence the. name Tenebrae
i the Latin word for darkness,) and thu
noise made at the close of the cere
mony, serve to recall what is recorded
j by st. Matthew: from the sixth
hour, there was darkness over the
whole earth" and Jesus crying witt
a loud voice, yielded up the ghost:
"and the earth quaked and the rock:
/ were rent"
Afterwards, to perpetuate the re
menp rance,. that Our SaEiour's human
soul remained separated in deatl
from His Body during parts of tire,
/ days, this solemn Tenebrae Office, wa!
sung in the darkness of Thursday AMI
Wednesday evenings. ''On the tire,
days before Easter, wrote Pope Bene
dict XIV March 31,geI765, to May 8
/ 1859 Lauds follow Immediately OF
i Mathis, which on this occasion, termi
i nate with the close of the day, in OF
der to signify the setting of the SUI
of Justice and the darkness of TIL
Jewish people, who knew not Gu
Lord, and condemned Him to thu
gibbet of the Cross Hence it is W,
like our Office of Tenebrae, and there
| in hear with heartfelt sorrow, Chris
became obedient for us unto death
even to the death of the cross.
BY this His death, He merited 70
us all the grace to rise from sin, tn,
privilege to rise every day from tn,
/ grave, and to share in His life and il
i His glorious Resurrection, symbolic,
by replacing on the triangle the EN-
J blematic candle.
i Helped by this moving ceremony WI
return home with a deeper sense o
sim with a. truer love of Our saviour
& with a Arm resolve to share in graee
OF His Resurrection, BIZ D feryeht FIol,
ny s. ~ sF Hst =