The Schola Cantorum leads the cathedral community and friends in the ancient, time-honored Liturgy of Tenebræ, including the singing of the Lamentations of Jeremiah and a new setting of Velum Templi. Come to experience this unique and rarely celebrated ancient rite.

Join us for the Tenebrae Service, a form of the traditional Liturgy of the Hours. The Cathedral Schola Cantorum will lead the assembly in the singing of psalms and canticles and will chant the traditional Lamentions of Jeremiah.

Following each of the psalms, choral responsories will be sung by the entire Schola, including Timor et Tremor  (Fear and Trembling) and Vinea Me Electa (O My Chosen Vineyard)  by Francis Poulenc, and two recently composed evocative chant-based compositions—one by Paul Nicholson, Velum Templi (The Veil of the Temple was Torn) and another by Pawel Lukaszewski, Memento Mei, Domine (Remember Me, Lord).

The Cathedral Lectors will proclaim two readings from the Letter to the Hebrews followed by an ancient homily by a 4thcentury bishop, St Epiphanius ofCyprus.

While the 15 candles of the hearse or candelabra are gradually extinguished throughout the service, the traditional Strepitus is sounded in the total darkness created when the Paschal candle is taken from the sanctuary, recalling Christ death.

The entire liturgy is sung without accompaniment, indicating the sober and solemn character of the period of the church’s liturgical life that we will enter over the next three days. Come to experience this unique and rarely celebrated ancient rite.