Dominican Preces at Tenebræ

The Friars Preachers retain - even for use in the modern Office, in place of the intercessions at Lauds - a once-widespread mediæval addition to Tenebræ: a set of preces, approximating to a farced or troped Kyrie plus the Christus factus est, which last alone (sung to the melody used for it at Mass) the Roman Office has an antiphon before the collect Respice.  Hence, where the Roman has but the singing of Christus factus est (all kneeling), the Dominican has:

Initially, a threefold Kyrie, thus - two of the Friars standing before the altar step sing:

Kyrie, eleison.

The choir (all facing the altar) respond:

Kyrie, eleison.

The two Friars repeat:

Kyrie, eleison.

Thereupon another pair of Friars, standing in the midst of the choir (that is, out between the two parallel lines of choir stalls), sing, in Latin, not Greek:

Domine, miserere.

And the choir responds:

Christus Dominus factus est obediens usque ad mortem.

Secondly and medially, a threefold Christe with verses is intoned - the pair before the altar step sing:

V/.  Qui passurus advenisti propter nos.

(But on Good Friday only, instead they sing:

(V/.  Agno miti basia cui lupus dedit venenosa.)

The choir:

Christe, eleison.

The two before the altar again:

V/.  Qui, expansis in cruce manibus, traxisti omnia ad te sæcula.

(But on Good Friday:

(V/.  Vita in ligno moritur, infernus et mors lugens spoliatur.)

The choir:

Christe, eleison.

The two before the altar a third time:

V/.  Qui prophetice prompsisti: Ero mors tua, o mors!

(On Good Friday instead:

(V/.  Te qui vinciri voluisti, nosque a mortis vinculis eripuisti.)

The choir again:

Christe, eleison.

Then the brethren in medio chori:

Domine, miserere.

And immediately the choir reprise:

Christus Dominus factus est obediens usque ad mortem.

Lastly, a final threefold Kyrie - the two standing before the altar sing:

Kyrie, eleison.

The choir respond:

Kyrie, eleison.

The two before the altar repeat:

Kyrie, eleison.

Next the pair of Friars standing in the midst of the choir sing:

Domine, miserere.

And the choir responds for the third time with:

Christus Dominus factus est obediens usque ad mortem.

Last of all, the brethren before the altar sing in a high voice:

Mortem autem crucis.

And all prostrate themselves.  (The silent Lord's Prayer and the Collect follow as in the Roman Rite.)

The chant for this ceremony is most impressive, and very moving: