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The church commences her solemn service of each of these days with that part of the divine office called matins and lauds, and at this time Tenebrae from the darkness with which it concludes. It used of old to be celebrated at night, as it still is by some religious communities ; but it now takes place on the afternoon preceding each of those three days.

In 1840 His present Holiness Gregory XVI ordered it to be again exposed to the public veneration in the Sixtine chapel: He gave it to the charge of the chapter of S. Peter's, who deliver it to M. Sagrista on Good-friday morning: and it remains in the Sixtine chapel till the end of Tenebrae on that day. Moroni Cappelle Pontificie etc.

There were Tenebrae on the following days, Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, and Lothair was present on both occasions. "There is also a great office on Friday," said Father Coleman to Lothair, "which perhaps you would not like to attend the mass of the pre-sanctified. We bring back the blessed sacrament to the desolate altar, and unveil the cross.

I cannot convey to you how satisfactory conversation is with him on religious matters. He is the holiest of men, and yet he is a man of the world; he will not invite you into any controversies. He will speak with you only on points on which we agree. You know there are many points on which we agree?" "Happily," said Lothair. "And now about the office to-night: tell me about these Tenebrae.

It was Holy Week, the season of all seasons for devotion to the Sacred Heart, and our Convent was palpitating with the joy of its spiritual duties, the many offices, the masses for the repose of the souls in Purgatory, the preparations for Tenebrae, with the chanting of the Miserere, and for Holy Saturday and Easter Day, with the singing of the Gloria and the return of the Alleluia.

It seemed to them that they were ready to enter a church on the day of Tenebrae. At length Gervaise, the most curious of the three, and consequently the least sensitive, tried to make the recluse speak: "Sister! Sister Gudule!" She repeated this call three times, raising her voice each time. The recluse did not move; not a word, not a glance, not a sigh, not a sign of life.

In the afternoon at Tenebrae, the office, being that of Holy Saturday anticipated as usual, refers to the repose of the body of our blessed Lord in the tomb.

"So the evening and the morning were the first day." This thought is preserved in the great motto of the Order, "Lux e tenebris" Light out of darkness. It is equivalent to this other sentence: Truth out of initiation. Lux, or light, is truth; tenebrae, or darkness, is initiation.

In the afternoon Tenebrae in the Sixtine chapel; and the Cardinal great Penitentiary goes to S Peter's. In this basilic the B. Sacrament is preserved amid many lights in the Sepulchre in a side-chapel , and several confraternities come in procession to venerate the relics, of which we shall speak in the next chapter.

It admitted it in an entirely new form. Lux orco, tenebrae Jovi. The name of this terror was agoraphobia. Oleron had begun to dread air and space and the horror that might pounce upon the unguarded back. Presently he so contrived it that his food and flowers were delivered daily at his door. He rubbed his hands when he had hit upon this expedient. That was better!