The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-04-16
E A S I E R.
How It Is Celebrated in the
Churches.
HISTORY OF THE FESTIVAL
Sports and Pastines-.The Floral
Decorations.

!
commentaries nnds its way INTO every heart even
when only the earthly gladness OF the per-
mittcd TO warm with us sunshine To-day the whole
Christian world recices that Christ from the
tomb, that mans redemption is accomplished and
that hope inspired by the prophets is fulfilled.
During the past week there has been mourning
the agonies which the Redecmer suffered,
His crucnx:on ard all tho solemn warnings aud
taiions hcarken TO the meaning OF
shc lie offered up Tor the salvation OF the
world The churches were all draped ia cmblems
OF sorrow, ceremonies were performed suggestive OF
tho different stages OF the passion, and al CHRIS
worldly pursuits as mark OF respect 10
the final scene on Calvary. To-day these
commemorative sgns OF the cruel,ics the agony and
the death which Christ suffered all thrown aside,
and In ,hc presence of the stupcndous miracle OF the
resurrection, the Church sings loud hosannahs peals
forth sony OF praise and wonder that rcsounds
throughout the world, for Christ verified the roph
ecy-'Uh Doath | will be thy death oh he'll, VIII
tear thee with my teeth" In the celebration Of this
GROWING festival tho Church Knows exaggc-Etion
in ITS expression OF tho OF It's
sublime Importance We may expect to day TO
ali tho churches exercised at their utmost
do honor tho festival, using all that
mony and sermon do impress upon the minds OF
the faithful the grand event which is being COM
mcmoratcd In the Episcopal and Catholic churches
the most gorgeous ceremonies which their respective
hturgics permit will be put at the services, and
NIL who feel renewed impulse TO devotion by witness
ing solemn church may expect TO be treated to
rare icass in this regard In the Catholic churches
especially the high will DO attended with
usual pomp and magnincence, there being festival
In the year when much latitude gorgeous display
is allowed The will be all decorated with
unusual and profu ,euess every
little incidental detail additional charm VIII
be added The affairs will DO abnze with lights and
every ncho made beautiful with ornaments flowers
The vestmcnts worn by the priests will be OF The very
richest fabric each church possesses and the golden
vessels used in the service OF the mass will be tho
rares aud The most costly. All the chors viii be re-
niorccd especially the grand masses, the choicest
works OF the great composers being selected the
best singers that be procured added 10 the ord
In many OF the churches orchestras Will
be added TO assist the organ accompaniment The best
preachers may also be heard on the sublime themo
oil the resurrection In the Episcopal churches not
less splendid will be the services though not repleo
with ceremonial detail AT all times the Episcopal
service is interesting In the extreme from the quiet
SIMPLE beauty OF It's liturgy but when TO tins is added
especial attention TO the exquisite music to which its
hymns and psalms sung the service Is more than
impress we and imposing. In all the leading churches
OF denomination special feature Will be made OF
the music, and CT course eloquent sermons will be
preached by the pastors In tins brief auson to the
religious celebration OF the glorious Easter festival To-
day there Is only ono painful circumstance
that suggests nsef in the enumeration OF the many
attractions which the pastors will hold forth their
congregations, and that Is the absence OF His Emil
hence Cardinal AcCioskcy from the Cathedral, owing
10 the continued feeble condition OF his health In all
the other churches, Also interesting may be
expected more however from the sermons to be dclv
cred than IRON adventurous aids that will be awaited
Of in giving expression toircgous feeling in seeking
10 inspire II others In the Ruualisiic churches
services similar in great degree 10 those held in
ths Catholic churches will DO held usual
Tux GREEK CHURCH.
An event which rarely happens and which will occur
only once again during the present century will take
place today, and ta is The cunmcmoration OF Easter
the same day BY The Oriental aud Occidental. Chris
tlan churches. In the Greek chapel on Second
avenue Easter viii be observed to-day with
unusual pomp and ceremony. Last week ser
held in the chapel every day. On
Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday the liturgy OF the
prc-sanctihed was celebrated, and on Thursday and
Saturday the liturgy OF 81 Basil Great ON Good
Friday evening commcmorati Of the death
OF the Rcdcencr performed and to-day the liturgy
OF 81 Ctryostom win DO chantod by Mr. i'erom, the
reader the clavoLc language Father Bjerring the
priest, attircd IN heavy purple and go"i-spanglcd
robe and bearing in his hands golden censor,
cruchx and triple candcl Drum, containing
lighted tapers will proceed, according custom, from
tnc altar toward the congregation who stand during
and repeating the salu,aton which may be
heard on tho public streets IN Russian cities all day
long chrst rs risen' To this saination the reader
in ochah Of the people, responds Truly risen.'
The paintings Of Christ, The Virgin Mary and
the saints, whom the orthodox Greek Church
honor and which IN the little chapel on Second avenue
hang the walls facing the audience the pre-
sanctfcd place viii be revercnced 10 day by priest and
people, the custom IN the Catholic Church
OH Easter Day. No instrumental music is used
in the oriental churches, and will be used
in Father Blcrrin,'s chapel to day The communion
elements administered both kinds such Of the
congregation have previously confessed and
ccyed priessly absoiuon. The services at this tme
prolonged there Is scarcely chance at time
for sermon, and there viii be none to day.
HISTORY or TIN FESTIVAL
Easter derives IT'S Teutonc from the festival
OF the Goddess ostara IN Anglo saxon Eastrcl, which
the Saxons used to citrate about the at which
the Christian festival OF Easter In the ancient
church lie festival lasted eight days second
century was limited 10 three days ana later TO two
tism, and AZ this season too, u wis customary TO
dpcnsc aims TO the poor and oven TO furnish
fcasts in tho churches Il was called the SUNDAY or
JOY" In the second century dispute arose as to the
time OF holding the festival The Eastern churches
celebrated u The l4th day OF the first Jewish
month moon considering TO he the equivalent TO
the Jewish Passover. The Passover Kept by the
Jews in memory OF Their miraculous deliver
nncc from the bondage OF Egypt by the
slaughter OF all the iirst-born OF the Egyptians.
the destroying angel having passed over the houses OF
the Hebrews whose doors we're marked with he blood
OF the paschal lamb which killed the morning be-
FORE This the Jews kept on the l+th day oi the
FIRST month oil the ecclesiastical year, corresponding TO
Church considered the killing OF the psscha lamb 10
lie figure the death OF Christ, and concentrated
on tho sausay aft~r the I4,h Of the moon
OF March, but tolerated the Eastern churches tor some
which the jews kept the Passover. Tnissdferencc
to the time OF the celebration was the cause oil The
1ispute The Council OF Nice, IN $50 A. d. ordained
that Easter should be kept on the SUNDAY that ioows
the 14th day OF the moon OF March, and the EN-
pcror Constantine Published the decree throughout
che Roman Empire Those who refused TO obey tn
authority of the Council looked upon rs schs-
mates. and called Quarto-dccimans. The proper
astronomical cycle Tor determining the occurrence OF
tho Easter moon settled by this Council. In
1852 the Crcgoran calendar arranged according to
which the Easter time has sOrc been observed Easter
Sunday is always uow the FIRST sunday after the full
moon which happens upon after the 2lst
Of March, aud " the full happens on
Sunday the Easter - celebrated until the sunday
following In TINS arrangement the full moon IN tho
heavens that taken consideration tho
mean moon OF the astronomers, but imaginary
moon, whose periods regulated that the
calendar always follows tie real moon
sometimes comes and sometimes three days after
way Is 10 prevent the Easter Day from happening
she Jewish Passover. Both casts tell on the day
in 1906 April IL; 1875 April B. and the with
occur again 1903 April IL; N 1925 April l; IN 1927.
Aprtl H. and IN 1851. April 10 The jewish festival
never occurs before March 70 later than April 70