Tenebrae at Home

Photo by Carabo Spain from Pixabay

If you haven't experienced Tenebrae (prayer for the nights of Triduum) before, this is the perfect year to try it out! During a typical Holy Week, it's a little much for families with small kids to try to make it to one more thing, but well, here we are. This is a prayer that really captures the senses, which is something I think we could all use when our usual forms of worship are being brought to us through the filter of our screens.

I've put together this printable version, which is pared-down enough for small attention spans who will mostly like the candles and banging on things in the dark, but serious enough not to feel babyish for older children or an all-adult group.

The Office of Tenebrae: A Shorter Version for Family Use (PDF)

If you are musically inclined, it's well worth the effort to chant the Lamentations. I've put together the English text and the original chant melody here:

Lamentations for Tenebrae (PDF)

This recording isn't identical, but gives a good feel for the chant:

If you need a refresher on the hymns, here are some easy-to-follow recordings: