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The Lamentations of Jeremiah according to the Dominican Gregorian chant tradition. The Lamentations of Jeremiah are sung during the Divine Office of “Tenebrae” (meaning “shadows“ or “darkness“ in Latin). The Tenebrae prayers are powerful, somber meditations specifically for the Three Days preceding Easter (the “Triduum Paschale”). They are punctuated by a gradual extinguishing of candles, eventually leaving the church in darkness. The Lamentations are very ancient. They are a collection of poetic expressions of grief over the destruction of Jerusalem in 586 B.C. Jews sing them annually on the Ninth of the Hebrew month of Av to mark the destruction of the Temple. In the Church, they are also understood as the lament of the Messiah over a city that “received him not.“ We sing the Lamentations of Jeremiah to mark the destruction of the temple of Christ's body. Yet even as we mourn, we recall the words of Jesus: “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up“ (John 2:19). Holy Saturday, 2nd reading : 4:5 HE. Qui vescebantur voluptuose, interierunt in viis: qui nutriebantur in croceis, amplexati sunt stercora. 4:6 VAU. Et maior effecta est iniquitas filiae populi mei peccato Sodomorum, quae subversa est in momento, et non ceperunt in ea manus. 4:7 ZAIN. Candidiores nazarei eius nive, nitidiores lacte, rubicundiores ebore antiquo, sapphyro pulchriores. 4:8 HETH. Denigrata est super carbones facies eorum, et non sunt cogniti in plateis: adhaesit cutis eorum ossibus: aruit et facta est quasi lignum. Ierusalem, Ierusalem, convertere ad Dominum Deum tuum. Translation: 4:5 HE. They that were fed delicately have died in the streets: they that were brought up in scarlet have embraced the dung. 4:6 VAU. And the iniquity of the daughter of my people is made greater than the sin of Sodom, which was overthrown in a moment, and hands took nothing in her. 4:7 ZAIN. Her Nazarites were whiter than snow, purer than milk, more ruddy than the old ivory, fairer than the sapphire. 4:8 HETH. Their face is now made blacker than coals, and they are not known in the streets: their skin hath stuck to their bones, it is withered, and is become like wood. Jerusalem, Jerusalem, return unto the Lord thy God. Friar: Stefan Ansinger O.P. Score: Location: We thank the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter of Fribourg (FSSP) for their hospitality. For more information or questions about our project: contactopchant@ Website:
