New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1866-04-16

barracks, killing one soldier and wounding several
Others 1t was another heavy blow upon unfortu-
nate Bagdad. I.G.
MArAMoRos, mexico, March 81, 1866.
The observances of holy week here are quite
different from what they are in New Orleans; that
is to say they are carried out to greater and more
rigid extent than in cities in the United States
On Thursday morning a proclamation of the
municipal project, published in the papers, pla-
carded in writing about the street, and read in
loud voice by heralds at the corners, or
dered the people to suspend business and close
their doors till Saturday forenoon, drug stores only
allowed to remain open, and groceries allowed to
open one side of one door for two hours
and evening; no wheeled vehicles to run, except
cabs from the Brownsville ferry to a point four
squares from the plaza their usual stopping place;
violations Of these orders to cost 1875 each
The town consequently was Theoretically closed
and the hush of death rested over the Streets not
even cigar or barber shop open no water car
riers; no newsboys; no donkey mountains of wood
and hay; nothing but blank streets with all their
eyes shut, and quiet groups of the pious and the
curious vending their way to the cathedral.
Being too feeble in health to make my way into
or endure the pressure of the crowd, missed see
ing the grand and extraordinary ceremonies of the
church on Holy Thursday d,Good Friday. With
only the intervals of meal times the cathedral was
immensely crowded, both morning, forenoon, after
noon and night The church is plain old brick
structure, rough inside and out, but this solemn
occasion its interior was decorated in q manner
beautiful to behold.
cannot in fact need not, attempt full list of
the ceremonies performed. Among those on
Thursday morning was that of consecrating the
swords of the officers of the military Gen. Meja ais
splendid sword was sent up separately, on huge
silver salver, and the chief priest administered
solemn oath TO the general, the purport of which
did not hear. After this, as typical of Christ
feeding the twelve at the last supper the
wealthiest and most fashionable of the ladies OF
the city went and fed and waited upon the sick
soldiers in the hospital. All imaginable deli
cacies, dainties of the costliest, wines, cot
fee and cigars were layshed upon the POOR
fellows with sweet smiles and words of cheer:
some of whom were speeches. and
apparently bewildered as if they felt them
selves amid the angels of heaven. In the after
noon was performed the ceremony of washing the
feet of the Apostles--a bona fde performance, in
which living hands washed living feet. At night
the church was lit up, and there were other cere-
monies, including the performance of the Stabat
Mater. During the singing of this fine piece Of
music, a military brass band in the church all at
once struck up a lively deafening air, and the
leader of the Stabat Mater stopped his perform
ance in disgust. This might be looked upon as
inconceivably rude if not sacriIigious-but it was
only in Mexico, where the military trumpeters
! fancy theirs to be the only music.
| The CHEF ceremony of Good Friday, in the after
noon, was the representation of the cruciixion. A
nearly life-sze eisy of the Redeemer on the cross
with young girls in black kneeling at the foot, rep
resenting the Marys, was exhibited with the pro.
fohndest solemnlties of the church.
After the crucifixion there was grand pro.
cessIon of the Blessed Virgin through the streets
1t was headed by an efigy of the Virgin, in q
mourning dress, escorted by living virgins in black
with the music muftled funeral tread, etc, and fol
lowed by great multitude of the people. This
being very solemn procession, all spectators I'M
covered their heads as it passed, except few
forgetful Yankees, who'had their hats kindly lifted
by pious Mexicans behind them. They didn't like
this much, but it was no use saying anything. A
night there were further ceremonies, including
! splendid performance of the Stabat Mater, and
torchlight procession of the Virgin through tht
streets. When the church let out, the
moon was in a state of total eclipse, with clouds
intervening, and the people had to grope the
way home in the dark, the street lamps never be
ing lit during moon. This was fitting co-opera
ton of nature in the solemn ceremonies of Goot
Friday.
This morning, the church was damned as usual
and, after mass, the chief excitement was the dis
tribution of holy water to the multitude, most O
, whom came provided with bottles, TASKS, etc
The day before, the priest warned his hearers no
to be so greedy after holy water as they had for
merly been, and not to bring pitchers or demi
johns, as only three barrels of the water would b.
distributed this time. At half.past 8 A. M. tn
Cathedral bells suddenly rang out the Gloria Il
Ercelsis, the artillery let off feu de joie, gun
and pistols popped everywhere, boys shouted
dogs barked, cOffeehouse and store doors opene
everywhere with joyous bang, the drummers ur
mutied their drums, the trumpeters took the col
t ton out of the mouths of their instruments, cab
ratified madly to the Plaza, thousand difierer
noises were heard at once for half an hour or s
! it seemed as if Pandemonum had broken loose
0 and the strict observances of Holy Week were
( an end. | never saw such sudden and nois
9 wakng-up of q town in my life.
There was to be a theatrical performance t,
night; also balls and other merry .makings but a
: order from the church stopped them all. Easte
Sunday must pass first 1.G.