outreach The Guibord Center Religion Inside Out
The Guibord Center 101 Series:
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he Guibord Center – Religion Inside Out has taken the acclaimed 101 Series to a new level of understanding with Sacred Texts in Sacred Places, deepening our appreciation of how sacred texts are revered as an integral part of worship and celebration by many religions and faiths. We have been privileged to visit the Hsi Lai Temple to chant the Buddhist Lotus Sutras, the Hindu Vedanta Temple to learn of the Upanishads, The Sikh Gurdwara to observe the reverence of the Siri Guru Granth Sahib, and the Baha’i Center to hear the teachings of the Bab and Bah-a-u-llah. With each encounter, all who attended have been met with gracious hospitality and have left the gathering feeling enriched. St. John’s Cathedral will host The Guibord Center for the hauntingly beautiful liturgy of Tenebrae during Holy Week as part of our 101 Series: Sacred Texts in Sacred Places. The name Tenebrae (the Latin word for “darkness” or “shadows”) has for centuries been applied to the ancient monastic night and early morning services (Matins and Lauds) of the three days of Holy Week. It has been revised as one service for use on Wednesday night of Holy Week and is often referred to as the “gateway” to Triduum, the three days of Jesus’ final Journey beginning with Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and The Great Easter Vigil conclud-
st. john ’s cathedral life
ing with Easter Sunday. This unique service provides an extended meditation upon, and a prelude to, the events in our Lord’s life between the Last Supper and the Resurrection. Apart from the reading from Lamentations, in which each verse is introduced by a letter of the Hebrew alphabet, the most haunting feature in the service is the gradual extinguishing of candles and other lights in the church until only a single candle, considered a symbol of our Beloved Jesus, remains. Beautiful music is interspersed throughout the liturgy deepening the experience. Toward the end of the service this single candle is hidden, typifying the apparent victory of the forces of evil. At the end of the service, a loud noise is made, symbolizing the earthquake at the time of the resurrection (Matthew 28:2), the hidden candle is restored to its place, and by its light all depart in silence. The Tenebrae Service will commence on Wednesday, April 16th, 7– 9pm with introductory remarks, followed by the liturgy, and concluding with light refreshments and a de-briefing of the experience. The liturgy for Tenebrae is rich in its simplicity and powerful in its symbolism. Please rsvp for purposes of the discussions and reception: www.the guibordcenter.org. i
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DR. LO SPRAGUE
Sacred texts in sacred places at St. John’s for Tenebrae during Holy week
A previous Tenebrae service.
The name Tenebrae (the Latin word for “darkness” or “shadows”) has for centuries been applied to the ancient monastic night and early morning services (Matins and Lauds) of the three days of Holy Week. It has been revised as one service for use on Wednesday night of Holy Week, and is often referred to as the “gateway” to Triduum, the three days of Jesus’ final Journey beginning with Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and The Great Easter Vigil concluding with Easter Sunday.
spring ,
2014