The New York herald., 1866-04-01
E A s T E r..
THE DAY AND 1T. ORIGIN.
CLOSE OF THE LENTEN SEASON,
RELIGIOUS SERVICES.
Easter.
THE RESURRECTION.

,.>.>>>>~~>~~~~~~
Eastor.
TIE RESURRECTION.
Ine Christian world s jubans to-day. After ferty
DAYS mourning the desert Of humiliation with her d.
vine founder the Church puts her gyes attire and
slngs pans Of joy his triumph over sin
snd DEATH There 10 day the Christian calendar In
which she has 10 rejoice, for although Chris
asps brought her the nativity yet Easter the
siou s the very stone which the grand edce
of Cnrissndom is constructed. Eighteen hundred years
sre The legonares Of Rome held watch the sepuh
ohrs In which the great martyr Of Calvary reposed.
Hs prophecy "on the third day the son of Nan shall
rise again. was fresh in the minds Of Hs enemies &nd
they feared, lest by some trick Of Tire disciples He
should verify Hs prediction Therefore they demsnded
OF Plate that he should place guards tho sexlchre
unit. the third day. in oer they ehousht 10 prevent
She dreaded accomplishment Of tho SaviourS mission
yhs visit Of the Marys their asonihment at seeing the
great Stone Of the tomb rolled back the angel sitting In
sde the arghed guards and the glorious resurrection
are well known Instead Of the naefactors cross the
sponge Of vinegar and hyssop and the other parapherna
liza Of DEATH greeted by form Of heavenly glory
. ssuntenance Of lightning and raiment white as snow
5h thcn is the great anniveay Of the Christian era
na the churches Of every denomination vie with each
stAer In testifying their JOY and faith.
ORIGIN OF THE NAME.
The English name Easter and the German Ost.r~ have
been supposed by writer's 70 be derived from tho
ane Of the feast Of the Teutonic goddess Osera God
ae Of Spring. for which the early missionaries substi.
SussA the Christian festival According to Adeung, the
word Is derived from the old Saxon term oHer which
sgnes rising because nature arises anew In the spring
Ths early Christians differed IN regard TO the time OF
-es,ebrating Easter. The churhes IN the West oh.
served the nearest Sunday TO the first day
a the Jewish month ef Nissan, about the
iAne Of the verna equinox. The Asiatic churches,
adopting the 18th Of Nissan the day Of the crucxion
esbraed the festival Of Easter the third day follow
ing whatever day Of the week that might be- very
serious dispute the consequence for some time
threatening q rupture between both sectiona The
Council of Nice decided that Easter sheud be celebrated
the hrst Sunday which happeas upon next after
March a. and II the full moon happen on Sunday,
Easter the Sunday after By this arrangement Easter
may come early as March ~ late April Is.
OLD CUSTOMS AT EASTER.
The primitive Christians very early on the morning OF
Easter sauted each other with the words 'Chrst IL
risen indeed and hath appeared to Simon" The Greek
Church still retains this custom In nearly all Christian
countries the OF Easter has been celebrated
ui.h various monies popular sports and superstonA
Among the best known Is the English custom Of making
1rssens Of coorsd eggs called pasche or paste egRs,
Whoh often eaborately ornamented In parts
- Ireland the legend current that the dances In the
sky on Easter sunday morning The game OF bal! was
I8vOY1ye E28ter WniCh muuicpal COIpOfotOnb
Ssrmsry engaged with due parade and dignity Another
saA custom in the northern counties Of England was
the men parading the streets and claiming the privilege
- lftng every woman three times from the ground,
strangs say this time was always associated with
.onM BE- formed % 60 round and bless the different
srchads and throw great quantities Of apples into the
esurchyarda vhose old customs have nearly died
away although they still kept up In certain dstcs
IN ROME,
nbove all other places, this festival 10 observed gor
seous manner The impershabls Basilicss clad in
gayeet attire and professions masses and military and
ssvc displays take place The cventfal morn y ushercd
n by the thunder Of from the castle OF St. Angelo
and the constant peal Of bells Tho Pope II carried in
state around the city and celebrates high mass at the
srand altar OF St. Peters The College OF Cardinas with
she escort OF Swiss guards and the entire population OF
Rome, are out to-day. In the evening the dome
The vast and wondrous dome,
To which Diana's marvel was cell
D Illuminated. The effect Of tan thousand lights sncir-
ching this masterpiece OF architecture and rejecting
themselves the placid waters OF the Tiber Is sight
witness i. nsry cross ike that which chsered the @
eye Of Constantine on his march against the usurpe
hangs over the Eternal City, and !: seen at consid-
csihedrals on the continent Of Europe. such
- Cologne, tstrasburs and No,ro Dame, the cere-
ynon are exhausted in The decorations '. Of tho q,
sars myriads OF candles CLEAN over the rich canopies
and gtterng vesmens clouds Of incense ascend above
ehe heads OF the kneeng multitude and the music OF
Paiestrna Beethoven Haydn and Mozart resounds with
sxultation and triumph. The 'Hec Dies'' and 80
fhu" are the most frequent anthems Of the service.
the most extensive preparations been made BY all
che churches TO celebrate the great festival 10 lifting
The Catholic churches robed In spoticss
wbite-nowers cluster round every altar-and In the
cathedral Archbishop NcClosksy win administer the
fapal bcnedicton. All tho collections In the various
% bs - usu f hs S.nc
Orphan Asylum.
MUSICAL SERVICES TODAY.
q . very imposing character. ths grand HslisujsS
Chorus being the principal feature
n 81 Patrcts cathedral the ornaments on the high
ntAr are very BEAUTIFUL new mass composed BY nr.
tsht ssree. The msc win b. superior anything ever
fSs "a ossssr ~ Goasod yin. - given To- he Srsi
a s. f.ssss .sa III. star q IN. 81. sss.s,ys, sa.
syIe a.d The Svsnh NJ. Of Nossr vii b rendered N
Holy Saturday.
fhe concluding day Of Holy Week solemnissd yes.
ssrdsy IN the Catholic and Episcopal churches throughout
~ city. In the Caiholc churches the ceremonies pro-
sssbsd BY the rubck ars lengthy YET smbsmasse and
emprsssiva The aitan which had been divests1 on
aundy Thursday Of their coverings and ornamens are
Srsssd before the beginning Of The services but the
candles not lighted until the beginning Of The Mas
San nre is then started Immediately outside the door
q the church. and the ociatng clergyman attended by
ne deacon, bearing triple candclabrum with candles Of
white wax, sub deacon, crou bearer and q sufncient
number Of scoiyes bleeses the Ore recng appropriate
nyen This nre 10 represent the rcillumlning 6 the
world by the resurrection Of Christ Five Rrains OF
sncense are then blessed 10 represent the spices With
IN eh the body OF Christ embamed and placed
~ the Paschal candle In the form OF cross The priest
end sssndants thin enter the church. and Of the
ssndies In the tripod Is lighted, and the deacon
kneeng, sings aloud Lumew Ckts. The Paschai can.
de next blessed BY the deacon with the appropriate
tnvocatons and then nxes the grains Of In the
form Of cross; the candle Is then lighted, and the
lamps the altar also lighted When this part OF
Che ceremonies has bcen concluded the Prophecies are
road aftsr which the baptsmal font blessed by the
oelebrant who divides the water In the form Of
souches the water with his hand. makes the
sign OF the cross over u three times, divides IL again
end throws Of out towards the four quarters Of
ehe world brcathes twice upon the water In the form OF
cross sinks the Pascha candle Into the water three
different times breathes upon the water again. and then