The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1869-03-31

Palm Sunday and Holy Week.

With to-day opens tho Holy Week.
being the week preceding tho festival
of Easter. 1t is solemnly cebrated,
especially by the Roman Catholic
Church, and Of the Protestants it is
Only the Episcopalians who commemo.
rate with any specific devotional ser.
vices the entrance of Christ into Joru.
salem, the sorrows and suferings of
the Saviour. His judgement and
cruciGxion during tho week before
Easter Sunday, which day is, however.
by all Christian denominations conse-
Grated to the memory of Christ's re.
surrrcction.
Today, Palm Sunday, is specially
dedicated to tho entrance of Christ
into the capital city of Judea, riding
upon an ass. "And very great null
titudc spread their garments in the
way, others cut down branches from
the trees and strcwcd them in the
way. Aud tho multitude that went
before, and that followed, cried, say
ing, HoSanna to tho Son of David :
Blessed is he that cometh in the way
of the Lord hosanna in the highest"
st. Matthew, chapter xxi, verses 8
aud 8. Aad it is in commomoration
Of this triumphant entry of the Saviour
into the city Of the temple, glorified
by the people as Gle that cometh in
the name of the Lord" that there
will be great festive ceremonies in
all the Catholic and Episcopalian
churches. Particularly in the former
the ceremony Of distributing branches
of the palm or other tree has been
adhered to, and hence the name of the
day.
During week beginning with the Thurs.
day called in religious phrascology
"Maunday Thursday" from the Latin
words of the command, ,lfandatum est,
the 1enebrG will be performed, when
all the faithful are required to attend
communion after having confessed
their sins, done pcnance for their evil
deeds, repentcd of them and received
absolution. Friday is dedicated to
the memory Of the cruciixion of
Christ and his burial. In most of
the Catolic churches, formerly in all,
at least in Europe, q sepulchre was
built in imitation Of the one described
by St. Mathcw-"And when Joseph
had taken the body, he wrapped it in
clean linen cloth and laid it in his
own new tomb, which he had hewn
out in the rock, and he rolled great
stone to the door Of the sepulchre and
departed.'' 10 this tomb or sepul-
chre tho Catholics did go and with
prayer and in pious deviation honorod
the anniversary of the crucifixion and
death of Christ. This is the most
solemn and mournful day in the year
with the Catholic Chnrch, as no mass
is read nor are any bells rung. This
ceremony is followed by that in mem
ory of the resurrection, generally at
tended by festive procession around
the church, at which the holy host is
carried for the alteration Of the faith
full.
In Europe, where in Catholic coun-
tries heretofore Church and State
were intimately connected, II y
Week or Passion Week was celebrat-
cd with great pomp, even outside of
the church. In many places hills or
mountains have been selected and
named Mount Cavalry, on which were
built chapels; tho three crosses,
whereon Christ and tho two thieves
on either side Of Him were crucifed,
were erected, and the 'twelve sta
tions," designating the twelve sorrows
Of the Saviour before crucifixion his
torically initiated. In Austria the
Emperor, and in Rome the Pope still
preserve the ancient practice, on
Maunday Thursday, of washing the
feet Of twelve old men, in imitation
of Christ washing the feet of twelve
Apostles after the conclusion of the
Holy Supper. In Protestant coun-
tries, and SO also here, these outward
or public demonstrations have been
abandoned, and tho ceremonials per-
tanning to Passion Week, commencing
with to-day, are confined to the inte-
rior Of the churches.-New York Her
aM.