The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-03-27
FIRST EDITlO N
CITY INTELLIGENCE.
EASTER.


VIII be Celebrated Both Here and
Elsewhere.
The origin of the word "Easter" is involved |
In considerable DOUBT, and antiquarians have |
puzzled themselves to discover It's true source
and meaning BY some of these disputan@ IL
is said to be derived from BoSt1e, the name Dy
which one of the old Saxon deities was known.
The least Of EOStTe was formerly celebrated IN
the spring OF the year, somewhere about the
time of the great Christian festival in honor of
the resurrection OF our Saviour; and IL Is
claimed ID that, when the character of the feast
was changed from pagan to Christian, the Ola
name was still retained. BY some authorities
the word is derived from the Anglo o-Ssxon Yst
"a storm-from the stormy character OF Inns
II is maintained that the word is derived from
OSter, which signifies "rising; and as Inc
rising of Christ from Inc deaa Is me ne clLSui
is kept, this last supposition derives additional
weight therefrom.
WHEN SHALL 1T BE CELEBRATED?
In addition to this dispute concerning the
origin of the term there has been lOng-sLand"
Ing disagreement as to when Easter shall be
ooSyulsed the Christian world By the cnurches
of Asia Minor the Paschal Feast was Kept ON
the same day as the Jewish PassoVerothe S I1 iatn
which corresponds to our March or April. But,
as the ERECTION Of Christ took place ON the
he Iah S,s,sn; 6sis5SSr s66siEs6S SIS dis
iis,@ the @ detested festivals Of the Jews. as well
as causing Easter to coincide with the precise
day Of the rng ing tne secSa9 a9
became quite warm. and finally, towards its
close Bishop Victor of Rome sent to the heads
| of the Eastern churches o peremptory letter
| ordering them to observe Easter on the day
| that was customary in the Western churches
| But the Eastern prelates were found to be In
ANYTHING but o yielding mood, and the dispute
remained unsettled, becoming more and more
between the two branches If the Christian
| Church, and after that all who insisted on OBJ
| serving Easter on the 14th OF the month, Nissan,
| 4 fnoa n Sunday
| day in the week, were denominated by their
| opponents Qudrt0decintdnS.
| The Emperor Constantine found the contro-
| versy on this point 30 warm at the beginning
| of the fourth century that he resolved TO put
one and the same time. Through his influence
| q canon was adopted by the H;umenical
CSnnc OF Nice IN Ine year a. feast z o. 70
which day should be the Sunday following the
ssance of dispute as to the time, it was likewise
decreed that the 2lst day Of March should be
moon happening upon or next after the 2lst of
March should be taken for the full moon of
Nissan; that the Lords day next iollowing WE that nat
full moon should happen upon Sunday.
Easter. day should be the Sunday after;
The result of an examination OF this great
its i'm portance will be readily assented to when
bends the time for celebrating the movable
feasts and fasts Of the year. ali OF which are
The rule now followed is thas laid down In
the Prayer Book of the Protestant Episcopal
| Church:-"Easter Day is always the first sun
day after the full moon which happens upon
| or next after the 2lst day OF Marcu; and II the
full moon happens upon sunday Easter Day
is the Sunday after"
EASTER CUSTOMS.
The peculiar customs attending the ceeora-
tion Of Easter vary considerably IN different
parts of the Christian world. In THIS country
the most popular one Is associated Win the eat
ing OF eggs. Ons Eas' or morning people usually
consider themselves In duty bound TO consume
as many OF these edtbles as their stomachs will
allow The younger folks, especially, make tht
most OF this feast. In addition to those wnict
to a stony hardness, and colored in the mos
fantastic manner. With pocket luli OF tnese
Grocer the urchin sallies FORTH and encounter
ing another VINO has similar store, the opera
tion OF picking" commences; the eggs Wnos'
In England this and similar customs wer'
| formerly universal, but are now ignored by al
except the children and the peasantry OF som'
sections. Other peculiar customs prevail. how
lions of the k1ngaom. Thus. in the counties O
stafford, Warwick, Lancaster and Cheshire
- sne sivety Pg'Ies prsctised. On Easter Monday tn
= women, and on Tuesday the men, undergo tn
, operation OF being lifted up tWo or thIee M Lime
the opposite sex. who join their hands acros
each otner's wrists by way of seat In tn
honor of ofunlacing the womens shoes on Nor
n day. and the latter reciprocate thu
delicate attention on the lollowin
day In days of old IL was q universal eos toI
for both the clergy and people to play at ball !
I. | the churches for tansy cakes. AT the con
mencement of the AnLiphon the bishops an
70 deans threw the ball to the choristers, py Wnol
Il it was passed back and forth, the bishops an
T. deans meanwhile dancing in their merrle
r. style Then came the feast, OF which gan
4. mon of bacon formed pRrt-to express i've
e. abhorrence of the Jews. This someWnat sac1
st lepious custom Is no longer In vogue, but
le some parts of England tansy puddings are ST.
IL fayorites on the table at Easter. During Il
is last century II was me CUSTOM OF sne pSrisI
y | of cakes and loaves OF bread, together with
quantity of cheese. among tne poor, on u
afternoon OF Easter Sunday. This dlsIrlpuLlt
al | was an uuported by an old endowment OF TWEEN
IN | acres called the Bread and Cheese Lands"
1e EASTER AT ROME.
q. The morning of Easter Sunday at Ror
oI | heralds season of great rejoicing, In honor
in the resurrection and new life OF Him Wno
ia passion on the cross has been the occasion
ed | such Impressive solemnil1es during the prec'
0e | Ing week. Preparations for the ceremonlals
Td | the day have been progressing Tor some Ill
| past and everything Is conducted In the n
imposing manner. With the break OF day
| great guns of St. Angelo proclaim In In
| 1ondesT tones the Joy which should fill
| hearts of men. AS early as seven O'Clock In
morning the people begin to assemble at
PETERS. going thither In num6erless carrlae
The great Cathedral Is magnihcently decoraI
the altars being loaded with ornaments, WI
the lights around the tomb and image or
patron Saint of the Christian world are In
The mass is celebrated by the Holy Father
| nerson with the most i'm preSsiVe and sole
I taccompanim Seating hlmselI IN tne oe
"A GeStatorta or chair OF state, he Is borne iroI
Lhj nall in the Vatican into the Dody OF Ine cnui
| His robes are blazing with ornaments OF g
| On his brow he wears the gilded triple crown
Lara. 10 represent both spiritual and tempo