Semi-weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1852-1853, 1852-04-17

The CEREMONIES OF EASTER. Yesterday was
Easter Sunday, being the anniversary of Christs re-
surrection, was last Friday (being Good Friday)
the anniversary of his cruc6xion, which took place
Jerusalem, the third hour past meridian, April
3, A. D. 80, while Tiberus was Emperor of Rome,
and Pontius Plate Governor of Judea. At 10 o'clock
on Friday night the Lent, or fast of forty days,
terminated, which is intended to commemorate the
fast of the Saviour in the desert before his temptation.
Rejoicing in " Christ risen,'' the different Catholic
churches yesterday, as usual Easter Sunday, had
the affairs decorated with ornaments of various kinds
and some of them in the most costly style-these
being removed during the previous three days in
celebrating the memory of the death and passion of
Christ.
Thus has ended " Holy or Passion Week. as it
is called which is kept in especial manner by the
Roman Catholic church the world as well
as, to considerable extent, by the Anglican PRO
testant) Churches. The following is description
of the observances of three last days of the past week
in IMPLYING the great mysteries they intended to
represent:
In the evening of Wednesday, Thursday and Fri
day, the solemn office commonly called the tenebac,
is performed in the Catholic churches. The name OF
tenebGc, darkness, is the Office, from the
circumstance that during the recital of the same all
the twenty-one candles, of which six placed the
altar and fifteen on the triangular candlestick are
gradually extinguished. The silence and darkness
which then pervade the sanctuary is intended to
typfy the darkness that covered the whole earth
the death of Christ; and the noise made at the
cusion of the service represents the convulsion of
the graves opened, and the veil of the temple was
torn from the top to the bottom. On Thursday, the
affairs were Invested of their rich covering and costly
ornaments; the sanctuary withoua carpet, the whole
church dressed in black, and the vestments of the
officiating clergymen of mourning hue-everything
wearing then aspect of grief and desolation. The
ceremony of washing the feet is also performed in
commemoration of Christ washing the feet of his dis
cpes, which is observed in Rome with the greatest
solemnty. On the Thursday in question it is the
custom in parts of the continent of Europe to
visit the sepulchres, which beautifully decorated
and which are intended to represent Christ lying in
the sepulchre. This is also done in this country
On Good Friday, which was sometimes denominated
Long Friday, from the length of the ceremonies on
that day. the custom of creeping rather kneeing
at, the cross, is still observed This might have be en-
seen in St. Alphonsus' Germany Catholic Church,
as perhaps others, in this city on Friday last. On
Saturday, when the resurrection of Christ from the
grave is celebrated the affairs again clothed with
their ornaments and illuminated with what is
called new fire. The bells sound again. and every
thing presents appearance of gladness and reoc-
ing. On Easter Sunday great many singular Gus
toms were formerly observed, principally among the
poorer classes. The custom Of giving eggs at Easter
is also observed in the Greek churches. The custom
is said to have originated in the theology of the
Egyptians, Persans, Greeks, Romans, &C., with
whom an egg was an emblem of the universe, the
work of the Supreme Divinity. In different countries,
various games are played by the children with eggs,
which are hardened by boiling, and colored with the
juice of herbs. Bali, Sun.