I refrained from posting during Holy Week because I wanted to have the whole experience.
Holy Thursday: I sang at this service with another cantor. I think, at times, I sounded ridiculous on the mic, going in and out because I often turned my head to see just what was going on. Holy Thursday is the washing of the feet, as seen in Luke's gospel. It is also considered the first commission to the priesthood in my church. Somewhere in the back of my head, I had that information stored away but it was brought to the forefront at this service. And it wasn't something that was crystal clear in my numerous readings of this gospel but I can kind of see it now. But I wonder if Jesus was calling them to be rabbis/teachers, not priests. Priests, as sisters or nuns, have may vocations within their call to be religious figures. Some are teachers of math, history or English, some are administrators, some go into the field and some head parishes and guide the spiritual well-being of their flock. Is this the same with rabbis? I guess I thought they were always there for spiritual guidance and knowledge. I need to do some research on this topic. I have a vauge idea of the ceremony around the priesthood, but wonder if Jesus did any kind of laying of hands, or special blessing on the twelve that night.
Good Friday. I first attended this service last year and then sang for it this year at my own church. It is not a "mass." There is no opening or processional entrance because it is a continuation of prayer from the night before. The story of the Passion is read and then people venerate the cross, meaning they come to a large cross, kneel or genuflect, touch it or kiss it. It can be a very powerful thing to watch. And I do so love the song Behold the Wood.
"Behold, behold, the wood of the cross, on which is hung our salvation. O come, let us adore."
The body of Christ is taken out of the tabernacle on Holy Thursday. On God Friday, there is no liturgy of the Eucharist, but people do receive communion. At the end of the service, again, there is no ending song, just the repetition of a taize change: Stay with me. Remain her with me. Watch and pray. Watch and pray."
The church is darkened and people file out at their will. This is to lead directly into Holy Saturday.
Holy Saturday. I did not attend this service due to a family obligation, but this is the time when new Christians/Catholics are initiated into the church. It's a loooooooong service, (also called the Easter Vigil) where they do something like nine readings and as many responsorial psalms. Each person (almost always and adult) being initiated receives the sacraments of baptism, confirmation and Holy Communion.
I sang again on Easter Sunday. This is a joyous service musically, in the readings and just in general as everyone has dressed in their Easter finery to celebrate the Risen Lord.
Last year I attended a tenebrae service. Tenebrae means darkness in Latin. It's funny that the dictionary mentions it's a Roman Catholic term, considering I'd never heard of it until last year. Essentially, during Holy Week, a series of readings are done (seven I believe), all leading up to the death of Christ. As each reading concludes, a candle is snuffed out until, after the final reading the church or chapel or room is left in complete darkness. You hear a door slam or a curtain tear and the darkness continues for about 2 minutes. The idea being that Christ has died, the light has gone out, and now we wait in darkness. Two minutes sounds like a really short amount of time, but I will tell you as an actor, that kind of time onstage without anything, can be deadly (pardon the pun). Moreover, it makes people very uncomfortable, rather the feeling you would expect to have knowing that the Savior has died. I liked it so much, it is a part of Passion. Whether people will realize that it's a riff on the tenebrae service, who knows? But it's a very clear marker of each incident that brought Jesus to be crucified and ultimately die. Me likey.
Holy Thursday: I sang at this service with another cantor. I think, at times, I sounded ridiculous on the mic, going in and out because I often turned my head to see just what was going on. Holy Thursday is the washing of the feet, as seen in Luke's gospel. It is also considered the first commission to the priesthood in my church. Somewhere in the back of my head, I had that information stored away but it was brought to the forefront at this service. And it wasn't something that was crystal clear in my numerous readings of this gospel but I can kind of see it now. But I wonder if Jesus was calling them to be rabbis/teachers, not priests. Priests, as sisters or nuns, have may vocations within their call to be religious figures. Some are teachers of math, history or English, some are administrators, some go into the field and some head parishes and guide the spiritual well-being of their flock. Is this the same with rabbis? I guess I thought they were always there for spiritual guidance and knowledge. I need to do some research on this topic. I have a vauge idea of the ceremony around the priesthood, but wonder if Jesus did any kind of laying of hands, or special blessing on the twelve that night.
Good Friday. I first attended this service last year and then sang for it this year at my own church. It is not a "mass." There is no opening or processional entrance because it is a continuation of prayer from the night before. The story of the Passion is read and then people venerate the cross, meaning they come to a large cross, kneel or genuflect, touch it or kiss it. It can be a very powerful thing to watch. And I do so love the song Behold the Wood.
"Behold, behold, the wood of the cross, on which is hung our salvation. O come, let us adore."
The body of Christ is taken out of the tabernacle on Holy Thursday. On God Friday, there is no liturgy of the Eucharist, but people do receive communion. At the end of the service, again, there is no ending song, just the repetition of a taize change: Stay with me. Remain her with me. Watch and pray. Watch and pray."
The church is darkened and people file out at their will. This is to lead directly into Holy Saturday.
Holy Saturday. I did not attend this service due to a family obligation, but this is the time when new Christians/Catholics are initiated into the church. It's a loooooooong service, (also called the Easter Vigil) where they do something like nine readings and as many responsorial psalms. Each person (almost always and adult) being initiated receives the sacraments of baptism, confirmation and Holy Communion.
I sang again on Easter Sunday. This is a joyous service musically, in the readings and just in general as everyone has dressed in their Easter finery to celebrate the Risen Lord.
Last year I attended a tenebrae service. Tenebrae means darkness in Latin. It's funny that the dictionary mentions it's a Roman Catholic term, considering I'd never heard of it until last year. Essentially, during Holy Week, a series of readings are done (seven I believe), all leading up to the death of Christ. As each reading concludes, a candle is snuffed out until, after the final reading the church or chapel or room is left in complete darkness. You hear a door slam or a curtain tear and the darkness continues for about 2 minutes. The idea being that Christ has died, the light has gone out, and now we wait in darkness. Two minutes sounds like a really short amount of time, but I will tell you as an actor, that kind of time onstage without anything, can be deadly (pardon the pun). Moreover, it makes people very uncomfortable, rather the feeling you would expect to have knowing that the Savior has died. I liked it so much, it is a part of Passion. Whether people will realize that it's a riff on the tenebrae service, who knows? But it's a very clear marker of each incident that brought Jesus to be crucified and ultimately die. Me likey.
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