Good Friday Choral Tenebrae

In-person and via Livestream

When Jesus came to John to be baptized, John responded: “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”. This acclamation became part of the Latin Mass as early as 700 AD, which we echo each week as we prepare to receive communion: Lamb of God…Agnus Dei. On Good Friday evening, the choir and congregation respond with singing to the Passion narrative as it is read. This year we sing the “Agnus Dei” from settings of the mass by Bach, Britten, Handel, Haydn, Pärt, Rutter, Vaughan Williams, Vierne, repeating the same text, but with vastly different music that reflects the changing emotions of the story of Jesus’ arrest, denial, trial, crucifixion and burial. The service ends quietly around the wooden cross, awaiting the Vigil on Saturday night.