Tenebrae

I went to the Tenebrae Service this evening, it is the day before Maundy Thursday.

Tenebrae is Latin for 'shadows' and I think the Service differs from church to church.   The church is usually in darkness apart from candles, but the overhead lights at Emmanuel were kept on, just dimmed a bit during the service. 

There are as many candles on the altar as there are readings, plus a white Christ candle, in our case this evening there were 15 candles and readings, and I did one of them.

The readers go up one at a time, read their assigned selections, and extinguish one of the candles, until only the Christ candle remains. Then Fr Bill read the first part of Psalm 22, which Jesus quoted on the Cross, and the Christ candle was put out, leaving the congregation in near total darkness, and at this point, the service ends with a very loud bang symbolising the closing of the Tomb..

There is no benediction and the people leave in silence. (The lights are turned up but remain dim so that people can see their way out.)

Changing the subject...........

I suppose you could say I have an indoor and an outdoor cat.   The indoor cat, Bubbles, certainly has the most  comfortable billet - this is a cushion with a fleecy cover when she feels like a change from her sofa in the living room.

I don't know if this cat wants to be taken in, but I look at it and say "you've got no chance".