Good Friday Liturgy

A distinctive feature of Tenebrae is the triangular hearse with fifteen unbleached candles. As the psalms are sung, the candles are progressively extinguished. This represents the abandonment of Christ by his disciples.

At the end of Tenebrae, the cantors stand in the middle of the choir and at the steps of the High Altar and implore God’s mercy and the brethren and congregation respond with the words of Philippians: “Christ humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross.”

At the Liturgy of the Lord’s Passion, the Cross is lifted high and venerated.

Friars and people creep to the Cross – an ancient liturgical practice. Three times along the way the brethren prostrate themselves and the people kneel as they approach Christ’s throne of mercy – his holy Cross.

A moment of stillness after the liturgy…