Service of Tenebrae - Good Friday 2012

Easter 2010 I was invited to play at the Friends of Portaferry Presbyterian Church Easter Tenebrae service, this year I was invited back.

Portaferry Church Building

The Service of the Shadows: - Howard Goodall's Requiem 'Eternal Light'

During this service the Narrator (Adam Goodwin - Dublin Actor) reads, in turn, each of the seven 'shadows' from the gospel of St. Matthew dealing Christ's journey from the Garden of Gethsemane to the Crucifixion.

As each lesson ends the musicians perform a movement of the Requiem, a candle is extinguished and the lights dimmed a little - with the Church in near total darkness, the Minister reads of the earthquake that accompanied Christ's death. Traditionally this passage ends with the 'Strepitus' - the great noise (me on the lambeg drum)

At the conclusion of the service the congregation leaves in silence.

Other performers - Lynda Barrett (soprano) - Luke Sinclair (tenor) - The New Quay Singers - Richard Campbell (organ) - Ciara McGlade (harp) - Gill Withers (double-bass) - Ryan Molloy (piano)

This is a very emotional and quite a moving service - if you ever get the chance to attend the service you will not be disappointed.............. bring a handkerchief with you!!

Also, if you have an interest in the 1798 Rebellion in The Ardes - Portaferry Church is the place for you!

This plaque hangs on the Church wall

HMA