The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-03-29
CeieDratron OF Palm Sunday To-day
IlSix XNrek and yts OhserY aMees.

CeieDratron of Palm Sunday TO-Day-
THsiy Week and Its Observances.
To-day PAIN sunday the CHRISTIAN world COM
memcrates the last visit OF the Saviour 60 the city
OF David. where He was met according to. 81.
Matthew's account OF the event, by "a very great
multitude" who spread their garments In the
way,n while "orhers cut down branches nom the
trees aud strewed them in the way,r ana wheh
"the multitude that went before and tnat iodo"ed
cried, Hosanna TO the Son OF God Blessed Is no
that eometl in the name OF the Lordl Hosahna
In the nighest'
IL used 20 be a custom in Europe on this day
and doubtless the custom ye' prevails ID many
Catholic coun ries-iUr the people 10 carry ia pro-
cesslon IN defect OF the palm, branches OF some
other tree, as box, yew or willow taiter tue
branches had been blessed by the prlest. in men,
ory Of tile saviours triunphal entry into the Holy
City, after which they were usually burned ahd the
asnes laid aside TO be sprink'ed on the heads oil the
congregation on the ensuing Ash Wednesday. The
observances Of the day come down TO us from
an early period n the history or the
Church, and as Palm sunday usbers In ''Holy
Week. the ceremonies In the churches are
always OF an imposing ana extraordinary
character. IL s the Catholic Church, however,
which observes the festival with the greatest
pomp. 1t Is Known that from ASH Wednesday III
Eastee Sunday, which comprises the season OF
Lent the cnarch, Bgurauveiy speaking. Is in sack.
cloth ana ashes. IL Is period when the faithful,
she calls her devotees. are expected TO fast ana
pray more earnestly than at any other period OF
the year, in order TO prepare themselves Tor the
Easter rejoicings. This period OF forty days CON-
memorates the forty days last OIL the saviour in the
wilderness, and the church during the last wears
her garments OF mourning and no display OF music
Is allowed IN the sacred edItces. rain sunday.
howeNef. IS an exceptional day OF the forty. AS It
commentaries tue briei triumph Oh the saviour
10 Jerusalem, the services are always invested
with tomp ana circumstance only surpassed by
Tue maRnllicence and dis LAY with whlcn the cere
MONIES al Easter are maze SO dazzling and at
tracuve. The blessing 81 tie palms VIII take
place to-day IN all the Catho &c churches and III q
lew, proDa6y, the Old custom-wnich Is yet reig-
iousls observed III many parts OF Europe-oi pro-
bows lnr :" uH' tns churc ma, nc nc adopIed
Palm sunday over, the Church again puts on her
habtiluents OF SORROW ana, nntii Tue iomowinx
mourniul cnaracter-every day of the week being
observed, with tue exception OF H0ly Thursday, as
a day OF Iamentation. In this week the passion III
our Lord Is meditated upon by the lalthful, ana
every uuportaut lncidcat IN tue last days vi the
lar serv ce. Tho Wednesday OF Holy Week was
once termed spy wedne day, so called livin the
notion that Judas hanged hnlsel on that
day two days before the saviour was put
10 DEATH. On Maundy Thursday the services
rss-a com.lemorauon OF the Last Supper. on
this day il ~ the custom N Catholic countries for
the bisaop TO wash the ,eet u WE'VE poor men 20
initiate tue mummy OF Christ as illustIat IN HIS
WASHING OF the Ieet 81 HIS disciples. On GOOD FRI
day, when the services commemorate the death on
cross O! the SAVIOUR no masses are saldfather
there is CONSERVATION OF the most, tae waller that
was eonsecratea the dag beore being used by the
ceiebfant oil tue services.
Tue Office OF the teae0r1 is the principal feature
OF tGe dolly Week ceremonIas. lt consists OF the
mathis ana iauds, WINCH 1t is customary 10 reeite
over night Wine the service is beng neld large
caudiestiek. with fifteen lights. ar an9ed IN the
form Oh triangle Which denote shrist anu the
prophets who predicted has coming is paced IA
the sanctuary. The lIgnts are extpguished one
b, one until only the one on the top remains
hV- Ia fqk a n uAN ~
under the altar unit the close OF the once. II is
then brought BACK. This syiaboIlzes Chrlst's
In the o.len time the celebration of Palm Sun
day IN Engand broneht with 1t many peculiar Gus
TOMS II MAS customary in some places to intro
dnce into the pa ocesson OF the faithful bearing the
branches or pam a wooden 1guie OF al ass
mounted on wheels, with WOODEN human igure
riding upon 1t To represent tue SAVIOUR. BEFORE
the procession started IRON the Church priest att
p and what the saviour mad done Tor
them now He had entered Jerusalem riding upon
an ass ana how the People mad streWn the ground
with branches as He went along Then the
PROCESSION started and the people suewed
the way with willow branches, while two priests
ma ched anead OFF all singing psalms. In meas.
/ ule as the ass IN the Procession Iassed by the
! branches were eagerly gathered up by Inc multi
tude as 1t was popularly supposed that. alter the
! ass nad passed over them, they were an lnialbie
protection against st rms and lightning during the
ensuing year. According to the records st. An
drew nuDpards parish IN London, IN 1920 it
seems that o wooden angel also was wont to be q
leading feature In the procession, Tor IN alluding to
item. "Eieht pence Tor the hire OF an angel
on this occaslon.n IL would appear that
angels We're rather drug in tie mar
ket lew years later for In 1881
the hire was ONLY iour pence. la 1896 Henry tue
Elgitn, alter the Reformation, was by no means
averSe 10 she custom Oh the carrying OF palms on
ths day, and gave pubic notice that IL was prac-
tice "not 10 be contemned or dropped" The Gus
tom OF the pubic processions bearing the palms
was kept up by the clergy untn the reign OF Ed
ward the rOlrd, waeu 1t was lett TO the voluntary
observance OF the people, Pniier, III the following
age, alluded the custom a. ''ln memory or the
receiving OF Christ into Jerusalem Little before
HIS death and mat we may nave the same desire
~ receive Him into our hearts"
Thc Jewish Passover.
On tie ensuing Thursday the annual festival Of
Passover or Resach VIII commence to De cels-
Drated by Israelites throughout the world IN COM
pliance with me DIVINE command. The history on
which the least Is based ID too wen known TO re-
Quire much explanation. The first few chapters OF
the COOK OF Exodus contain It's fullest exposition.
The festival is commemorative OF Israel's redenp-
ton from Egg ptlan bondage, and Is one Of those
monuments which, more than any other, connects
the living pr sent with the hOdry pasta monu-
ment more grant, more sublime aud more lnstruc-