... then Good Friday

Yesterday, I had a quiet day--peaceful contemplation of the Passion.  In the morning, I watched Mel Gibson's version of the Passion of the Christ, and in the afternoon read from Jeremiah and from St. Irenaeus and Origen on heresies and Scriptures.  Then I left a couple of hours before I wanted to be at Trinita' for the Solemn Memorial of the Passion, so that I might have time to visit some of the churches with sepulchers that I had missed the night before.  It was beautiful to stop in and pray at about half a dozen of them on my way.  And I arrived just a little early at Trinita', and with only a little difficulty found a place to sit.  The Mass of the Pre-sanctified with the adoration of the Cross was indeed beautiful and poignant.  The tone was very somber.  And it took longer than the Mass of the evening before, nor did it start on time.  So that Tenebrae after started about half an hour later than expected.  And this time, I did stay for it.  And I really do enjoy it. Matins and Lauds combined with a Tenebrae hearse to mark the Psalms.  There are 15 candles lit on the triangular shaped hearse at the start, and then one is extinguished with each Psalm's completion.  In between nocturnes of Matins, three readings were chanted followed by their respective responsories.  Then on to the next nocturne of 3 Psalms.  At the end of the third nocturne, Lauds begins immediately, and things seem to move more quickly.  There is only one candle left burning after the last Psalm of Lauds, and then there's the Benedictus, during which the candles on the altar are extinguished.  The last candle is then hidden behind the altar, and the schola chants Psalm 50, "Miserere mei" in almost complete darkness, and there is a prayer, a commotion, and the candle comes out from behind the altar, back to the hearse, and all process out in utter silence and almost as utter darkness.  Beautiful!