BARABOO — St. Joseph Parish will again celebrate the beautiful and peaceful Tenebrae service on Good Friday, April 3, at 7:30 p.m. Tenebrae, which means “shadows” in Latin, dates to the ancient Church.
The service incorporates light, music, Scripture, and prayer to focus on Jesus’ passion — his betrayal, abandonment, and agony. The Passion narrative is told in readings, followed by Scripture and a musical reflection.
Beginning with 15 lit candles, one candle is extinguished after each reading to symbolize the apparent victory of the powers of darkness, until only one light — the light of Christ — remains. The service ends with a loud noise, a strepitus, that suggests the moment of Jesus’ death, followed by silence.The entire community is invited to this ecumenical service.