Overview

The service known as Tenebrae (from that Latin, “darkness, shadow”) descends from the Western monastic tradition of modifying the usual pattern of daily prayer in the days preceding Good Friday. To heighten the monks’ experience of the crisis-and-catharsis of Holy Week, the sacristan would progressively extinguish candles after each reading — eventually leaving the gathered monks with only the light from a single candle, representing the Light of Christ.

Over the centuries, the service of Tenebrae developed into a standard Holy Week service, featuring readings, psalms, and — above all — choral music. As the service grew in popularity among Roman Catholic and Anglo-Catholic worshippers, an order for Tenebrae was added to the Episcopal Book of Occasional Services.

Calendar Challenges

At my home church, we began to realize a scheduling problem for Holy Week services — Holy Week was asking too much of our choir. Wednesday evening was Tenebrae; Thursday evening is Maundy Thursday; Friday featured a Good Friday service with hymns; and Easter would be celebrated with the Great Vigil on Saturday evening, and multiple services on Easter Sunday.

The traditional chants and anthems of Tenebrae represented an additional burden for a choir that was already learning Easter anthems, music for Maundy Thursday, and other musical endeavors. Could we not re-imagine Tenebrae with a shift away from music, while still maintaining its drama and message?

Poetry

Poetry provided an answer. Poetry provides a means of expression that uses nothing more than the spoken word and the printed page; it is distinct from musical performance and prose readings. The use of poetry also gives us the opportunity to promote voices other than the traditional Western voices that tend to dominate Episcopal worship, especially in Holy Week. I deliberately selected poetry from a diverse range of poets who write in the English language.

The Form of the Service

My modified Tenebrae service, called Shadow and Verse, tells the story of Christ’s passion through scripture, poetry, and prayer. The service is divided into nine units (called “nocturnes,” as with the traditional service); each nocturne consists of a reading from scripture, a poetry reading, and a collect. When the service is held within a physical space, a candle is extinguished after the poetry reading and before the collect. By the end of the service, only one candle remains lighted, and the service ends in silence with the congregation remaining for silent meditation.

Due to the Coronavirus pandemic, we have also performed this Tenebrae service online. The readings and prayers were distributed to lay people and clergy, who recorded their elements in their home. We also selected artwork from the public domain that corresponded to the scripture readings and represented a variety of cultural responses to Christ’s passion. These were compiled into a single video that was premiered on Facebook and YouTube.

An Order for Tenebrae: Shadow and Verse

The sanctuary is prepared with nine lighted candles in a prominent place. Depending on the design of the sanctuary, the electric lights might be progressively turned off as each candle is extinguished; by the end of the service, the sanctuary should be as dark as possible. After the congregation has had sufficient time for prayer and meditation at the end of the service, light should be added to make exiting the sanctuary safe.

Welcome and Opening

The Leader welcomes the congregation with these words or a suitable alternative welcome.

Dear Friends in Christ: Over the centuries, the church has established the observance of Holy Week, wherein the faithful gather to explore and remember the suffering and death of our Lord Jesus Christ, as we prepare to celebrate his resurrection at Easter. This service of Tenebrae evolved from the daily prayer of monks and nuns throughout Christendom, who began to dramatize the Holy Week readings with special chants and with the use of darkness and shadow.

Following in this great tradition, let us read and hear the story of the Passion of Christ, remembering that our salvation was purchased with the shedding of his own dear blood.

First Nocturne

• Scripture: Luke 22:1-6 (Judas plots to betray Jesus)
• Poem: And so it came to pass… (Funso Avejina)
• Collect: For the Second Sunday in Lent (BCP 218)

Second Nocturne

• Scripture: Luke 22:14-20 (Jesus shares a last supper with his disciples)
• Poem: The Last Supper (Jack Stewart)
• Collect: For the Fourth Sunday in Lent (BCP 219)

Third Nocturne

• Scripture: John 13:3-8 (Jesus washes the feet of his disciples)
• Poem: The Foot-Washing (George Ella Lyon)
• Collect: For Maundy Thursday (A New Zealand Prayer Book, 586)

Fourth Nocturne

• Scripture: Luke 22:39-46 (Jesus prays in anguish)
• Poem: Gethsemane (Mary Oliver)
• Collect: For the Sixth Sunday after the Epiphany (BCP 216)

Fifth Nocturne

• Scripture: Luke 22:47-54 (Jesus is arrested)
• Poem: Lamentations 3:1-18 (Translated by Robert Alter)
• Collect: For Peace (BCP 815)

Sixth Nocturne

• Scripture: Luke 22:55-62 (Peter denies Jesus three times)
• Poem: African Easter: Good Friday (Abioseh Nicol)
• Collect: For Proper 19 (BCP 223)

Seventh Nocturne

• Scripture: Luke 22:63-65 (Jesus is mocked)
• Poem: Friday (Elizabeth Jennings)
• Collect: For Wednesday in Holy Week (BCP 220)

Eighth Nocturne

• Scripture: Luke 23:33-38 (Jesus is crucified)
• Poem: In a Country Church (R.S. Thomas)
• Collect: For Tuesday in Holy Week (BCP 220)

Ninth Nocturne

• Scripture: Luke 23:39-43 (Today you will be with me in paradise)
• Poem: Hard Night (Christian Wiman)
• Collect: For Fridays (BCP 99)

The congregation may remain in the sanctuary for prayer and meditation. All are encouraged to leave the sanctuary in silence so as not to disturb those who remain.

Use of this Service

Everyone is permitted (and encouraged!) to use this service freely. It may be adapted and modified to suit the needs of your worship community. If you do find this service useful (in whatever form), please use the Contact Form on the home page to let me know — I would love to see the different ways that this service may be implemented for different communities.