Parishioners join sacred and traditional Holy Week service on Monday evening.
For more than 10 years now, a special and ancient tradition has been celebrated every Holy Week at St Patrick’s Cathedral – the Office of Tenebrae.
According to the Director of Music at St Patrick’s Cathedral, Bernard Kirkpatrick KSS, Tenebrae is an important part of Holy Week as it leads people into focusing on Christ’s death on Good Friday.
“The Office of Tenebrae has a long-standing tradition with the Catholic Church during Holy Week. Right up until the reforms of the 1955 Holy Week ceremonies by Pope Pius XII, Tenebrae was regular in most religious communities, hence why we have many religious here tonight.”
Members of a religious congregation are seen during the 2024 Office of Tenebrae service at St Patrick’s Cathedral, Parramatta. Image: Diocese of Parramatta
Bernard has created his own version of the Office of Tenebrae which resonates with parishioners, both young and old.
New mother to six-week-old Lucia and daily Mass attendee at St Patrick’s Cathedral, Joanna said “not all parishes have the Tenebrae. We came last year and we know St Patrick’s does it really well. The choir is amazing, and we just wanted to get here to prepare for Easter,” she said.
Her husband, James agrees.
“It’s one of those old traditions of the Church, that’s a little bit forgotten in the modern context. It is just really beautiful as it leads you deeply into Our Lord’s passion. It leads you via all your senses, all together.”
A view of the 2024 Office of Tenebrae service at St Patrick’s Cathedral, Parramatta. Image: Diocese of Parramatta
And Bernard suspects that is why people attend.
“I think because there’s a wonderful rhythm when it comes to the singing of psalmody. And there is also the drama of the liturgy,” he said.
The Office of Tenebrae includes singing of psalms, readings, sung responsories, and one of the 15 candles is extinguished at each interval until the Church becomes dark. Finally, one candle, the Christ light, remains.
Seminarian Jeffrey Hood carries the ‘Christ candle’ during 2024 Office of Tenebrae service at St Patrick’s Cathedral, Parramatta. Image: Diocese of Parramatta
In a dramatic moment after the glorious chants and meditations, the whole congregation takes part in the “strepitus” – loud banging or stomping of feet.
As Bernard says, “this huge noise replicates the earthquake, the destruction, the devastation when Jesus was crucified, and then the Christ candle is taken away. After the strepitus dies down, the Christ candle returns and is placed on the stand, and everybody departs in silence.
“So there’s three principal elements [that make it attractive] – there’s drama, there’s beautiful music, there’s the rhythm of singing psalms,” he said.
Seminarian Jeffrey Hood said it prepares you for what is to come in the days ahead.
“The word Tenebrae means darkness. It’s about reflecting on Holy Week and moving towards Good Friday, which is seen as a time of darkness, in preparation for the light of the resurrection. Tenebrae is a way of being in touch with the fullness of Holy Week in the contrast of darkness to Christ, the light of the world. But through darkness and suffering first, then arises the light.”
“I love the music, it’s so evocative. The readings are also very powerful as well as the whole congregation involved in the singing and the chanting. The strepitus is loud and reminiscent of the ‘Crucify Him, Crucify Him!’” he said.
Participants are seen during the 2024 Office of Tenebrae service at St Patrick’s Cathedral, Parramatta. Image: Diocese of Parramatta
For parishioner Mindy Mercardo, the strepitus is memorable.
“My favourite component is the strepitus, but also every time a candle is extinguished it just leads you closer to setting the tone and thinking about the lead-up to Good Friday. It’s the significance and gravity of what Good Friday actually means, the death of Christ.”
Many who attended told Catholic Outlook that they are moved by the magnificent tones of the choir.
Members of the St Patrick’s Cathedral Choir during 2024 Office of Tenebrae service at St Patrick’s Cathedral, Parramatta. Image: Diocese of Parramatta
“Well, I’m very proud of the choir”, says Bernard.
“We have some very talented young musicians who are very devoted to providing beautiful music for our worship and our liturgy. They’re very keen to pursue the wonderful repertoire and musical tradition that ranges from the simple Gregorian Psalms to beautiful Renaissance acapella, unaccompanied motets and responsories to more contemporary pieces but still within that classical idiom.
“Most of these young people are focused on producing something beautiful that contributes to the liturgical worship of their church. And that’s, I think, in fact, becoming much more predominant throughout the church today,” he said.
You can watch the livestream of the Tenebrae here and view images from the Tenebrae service here or below:
