The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1853-03-29
PasssoIa Week

The week mmediately preceding
Easter is commonly known us Pas.
sion Week, and the Sunday which be.
gins this week called Palm Sunday.
This year Palm Sunday occurred on on
the Goth of the present month. and
was, therefore celebrated by the Ro--
man Catholics and Episcopalians with
appropriate ceremonies. It comment
crates tho day of the Sayiour's triu,n-
phant entry into Jerusalem. As tho
people on that occasion manifested
their JOY by cutting down branches of
Palm and carrying them in their
hands, or strewing them in the way;
hence this festival, from o very early
period, received the name of SPAIN
Sunday" In most Roman Catholic
congregations, the ancient custom of
distributing on that day branches of
the falm, or some other tree; con-
tinues to be religiously observed.
BESIDES this ceremony on Palm
Sunday, there are other days in Holy
Week which are particularly devoted
to the commcmora,ion ofthe history of
the redemption by the Catholic
Church. On Holy Thursday, as it
is called, (because on that day Christ
instituted the sacrament of the Holy
Eucharist, which the Roman Catholics
believe contains the body and blood of
Christ under the appearance of bread
and wine, and also because his pas
sion or suffcrings commenced on
that day.) Also, on Good Friday, SO
called, because Christ was on that
day Crucifie1, and the work of re-.
demption consummated. Also, on
Holy Saturday, during which the
body lay in the Tomb. On the of.
ternoons or evenings before each of
these days, the Catholic Church cele-
brates solemn service called the Of
fec of the Tcnebre, from the dark
ness with which it concludes. In tho
carly ages of the Church it used to be
celebrated at night, which custom is
still practiscd by some religious COM
munities. This office consists of the
usual mathis Of the Roman Catholic
Church, somewhat altered in relation
to the particular time of the year when
this holy season occurs. The mode Of
its celebration is rs follows: A large
triangular candlestick, the base of the
triangle being about three feet long, is
brought into the church, and placed in
the aisle in front of the altar, and
Immediately outside the ratings of
the sanitary. on pedestal Of about
six feet in height In each one of
the sides of this triangle there are
seven sockets, and one on the top at
the meeting of the sides. In these
are placed fifteen lighted candles, to
correspond with the number of psalms
recitcd before the Miserere. AT.
ter each psalm one of the candles is
extinguished, with the exception Of
the candle Mt the top of the triangle,
which is taken away and concealed be
hind the altar, The Benedictus then
commences, and while it is being
sung all the card fesin7 the church ore
extinguished, causing q total dark
ness. After period of o few seconds
lIe COltCchlcu CalIulC Is DTOuSlI loTtli
and placed in its former position, at
the top of the triangle, and the candles
on the altar are again lighted. The
custom of conccaling the last and
most elevated Of tho candles in the tri-
angle behind the altar during the last
part of the service and then bringing it
forth, burning: and placing it in its
former position, is manifest allusion
to the death and resurrection Of our
Saviour. This is the Office of the
Tencbre, which is celebrated with so
much effect in the Pope's chapel, at
Rome, during Holy Week, and which
is so much spoken of by travellers. The
saying (for no organ or other musical
instrument is used) Of the Lamenta-
tions of jeremiah, which form the
lessons, as they are called; of the Of
flee and the Miserere by the Pope's
choir, is considered to be the high
est character of vocal music ever at.
tanned.