The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1873-03-08
The Lenten Season.

ASH wednesday commences the season
of Lent. The origin Of the word is uncer
tain. Some derive Il from the Saxon
teniier, implying spring or the season when
the days "lengthen." Others from the
German tenier, to thaw. The object Of
the fast has ALSO been disputed, but is
generally regarded as season Of prepara-
tion for the joyful festival of Easter, and
time specially set apart forrepcntance over
the sins of the past year, while the num-
Der Of 40 days devoted to it is thought to
have reference to the Saviour's forty days
fast in the wilderness; to the 40 days Of
the deluSc, the 10 years wanderings of the
Jews, the 40 days granted to the Nineyites
Tor repentance, or the time spent in fasting
by Moses and Elias St. Jerome speaks of
the fast as u memorial of the Saviour's
passion, and according to his writings, il
was instituted by the Apostles, although
Protestants commonly hold that it was not
established until the I'd or 3D. century
and that it was made an obligatory fast
about A d. $50.
The first day Of Lent is called Ash
Wednesday, from the notable ceremony of
the day in the Roman Catholic Church.
In order to remind the faithful nj the
commencement of the great penitential
season that they were but dust and ashes,
the priests took quantity Of ashes, which
they blessed and sprinkled with holy water.
The ashes used were generally made from
the palms consecrated on the Palm Sunday
OF the preceding year Upon a communi-
cant, attired in sackcloth, approaching,
the priest dipped up some of the ashes on
the ends Of his fingers, made the mark of
the cross on the worshippcr's forehead, and
said, "-hementO homo quia eiuis es ct IN
pnlrerem rererteris." These ceremonies
have been abolished, to a great extent, but
the Roman Catholics still lay rules to be
observed, while Episcopalians and other
Protestant sects leave the manner of
observance to individual judgment.
The day before Ash Wednesday is
called Shrove Tuesday, because the faith
ful used to then confess and be "shriven"
or "shrove" in preparation for the fast.
Mardi Gras is among the French people,
and those Of Frcn III descent, equivalent to
Shrovc Tuesday, the festival being one of
hilarity and gaiety previous to the clothing
in sack-cloth and ashes Of the pcnitents on
the succeeding Wednesday. In Paris the
bagf gras, a huge OK, decorated with
ribbons and flowers, is paraded by the
denizcns of the boucheie, and so strong is
hereditary custom that the same thing
occurs in New Orleans and Quebec,
antipodal cities, but having the same an
cient blood and faith, on the American
Continent. In England the day is still
kept, though carnival and jollity do not
hold sway as in former times, the chief
amusement consis Ing in dcvouring an
unlimited number of pancakes.
Both Ash Wednesday and Shrovc Tues
lay have lost great deal of their in
crest in a worldly point of view, since
he ancient customs connected with them
have been allowed to pass unobserved and
it is safe to say that were it not for the
Catholics and Episcopalians, in whose
religion these days play such an important
part, they would have died out loug ago in
this country of ours. OF late, too, it has
become Fashionable" to observe the fes-
iiyal, and people who care nothing for its
religious significance are now obliged by
the so-called rules of society to fully OBJ
serve it, by giving up their ordinary
pleasures and enjoymcnts of every deserip-
tion for 40 days.