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EASTER AT ST BRITIUS
Good Friday Service of Reflection - Tenebrae
Tenebrae, the latin word for “darkness” or “shadows”, was an early
Christian service. It includes the gradual extinguishing of candles
until only one, a symbol of Our Lord, remains. As
it gets darker and darker, we can reflect on the great emotional and
physical pain that was very real for Jesus that evening.
Near the end of the service, the Christ candle is hidden, typifying the
apparent victory of the forces of evil over good. At
the very end, a loud noise is made, symbolising the earthquake at the
time of His death and His resurrection.
At the moment of the earthquake, the temple veil was torn apart, making
the Holy of Holies exposed to public view. This represents God’s change
towards us with direct access to him, no longer requiring the ceremonial
acts of the priests for our forgiveness of sin.
The hidden candle is then restored to its place, symbolising the triumph
of good over evil. By
this single light we all depart this service in silence.
Before the service we show a powerpoint
presentation with the above explanation and images
of the Stations of the Cross taken from the church
in Jerusalem (brize_norton\st_britius\good_friday\intro.pptx)
The Order of service and instructions to those
reading are
here
The readings and meditations are below:
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