Tenebrae

During the Holy Triduum, the Church's morning and evening Liturgy of the Hours are traditionally prayed in darkness with extinguished candles (Tenebrae means "darkness"). In this richly symbolic office, she mourns the death of her Saviour with lamentations and sorrowful Psalms. At the end of the office, all the candles are extinguished. Psalm 50 ("Miserere Mei") is sung, and a loud noise ("strepitus") is made, symbolizing the darkness and earthquake following Christ's death.

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When all the earth in darkness be,
When sun has set and light has fled,
We bow before with bended knee
The Lord Who suffered, died, and bled.

With love our hearts burn like a flame,
In plaintive song our voices sing,
Bewailing Him Who died in shame:
In crown of thorns, we hail our King.

Our lighted candles pierce the night,
But one by one they flicker out
'Til all that's left is one small light,
Extinguished by the soldiers' flout.

In darkness now we stand in fear,
We cry to Thee with hearts that ache:
Be merciful, O Lord, be near!
The earth then trembles, mountains quake.

The silence echoes loud within
Our mourning hearts, so full of dread;
For He Who suffered for our sin
Lies buried in the tomb now — dead.