Good Friday service, we partake in two primary components of the day’s liturgy which was “the Reading of the Passion was according to John”, and the “Veneration of the Cross” which seeks to direct our focus as a community on the Cross – our tree of life. We venerate the cross in a variety of ways: touching, kissing, genuflecting, bowing or quietly praying in the presence of this sign of both paradox and victory.
Tenebrae, in Latin which means “darkness” is a Liturgy composed of readings and psalms, with canticles and prayers, all of which, was celebrated at 10.30pm in the darkened church, with 7 lit candles extinguished one by one as the liturgy unfolded. The 7 candles lends focus on the last 7 words of Jesus as follows:-
i) "Forgive them, Father!
They do not know what they are doing."
ii) "Today, you will be in paradise with me."
iii) "Women, here is your son"
"Here is your mother"
iv) "My God, my God
why hast thou forsaken me"
v) "I thirst"
vi) "It is finished!
vii) "Father, into thy hands I commit my spirit!"
