The word “tenebrae” is taken from Latin and, translated into English, means “darkness.” Tenebrae is an ancient Christian Good Friday service. We continue the tradition to memorialize the death of Jesus Christ. The increasing darkness in our service symbolizes the approaching darkness of Jesus' death and the hopelessness of our world without God. As the service ends, we will follow the celebrant in silence as he carries the central symbol of our faith and of this season – the cross – out of the sanctuary and into the world.