New-York tribune., 1876-04-08
HOLY WEEK.
THE CEREMONIES OF TIE RoMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH.
AND THEIR SIGNIFICANCE.


AND THEIR sIGNI' ICANCE.
Holy Week which begins to-nIOrrOw-Palm
sunday-ls season Of great soeuity and beauty IN the
ritual OF the Roman Catholic Church. 1t is called Holy
Week in aluson to the holy mysteries which are COM
memoraed. On Palm sunday, palm branches are blessed
and distributed the people, and procession oi me
cieTgy is formed during which the palm oraAches arc
borne by them commemorang the entry of the SAVIOR
Jerusalem. This is all expressive Of Joy IL IL also
day of sOrrow in so ar as anticipates the cTucihon
which viii be cOmmcmoraed later in the week. For the
latter reason the images ard pictures OF saints ana oter
like ornaments the church. are covered with purple
cloth. expressive OF mourning. The Passion according
To ST. Matthew is sung this day, and on Tuesday and
Wednesday, the Passion according 20 st. Mark ana st.
Luke is read.
On Wednesday Thursday, and Friday evenings the
beautiful and imposing Office of TenebrD is chanted
This is given from the circumstance that all the
candles which have been prepared IN the sanctuary are
eXtinguished during the course OF the ceremony
six can lies on the altar ani the fifteen candles in fri
angular cdndestick the episc side OF the altar an
burning the beginning OF the Office, signify the hghs
OF faith preached by the prophets and Christ OF "hch
faith the fundamental article is the mystery OF the
Blessed Trinity, represented by the triangular caHo'e
stick, During Mathis and Lauds. at the end OF each
PSALM one OF the Ii lower candles i'll the triangle If e
ngshed and at the last Elk Of the Bencdctus
those the altar extinSuished represeitinS thaI
TIE Jews totally deprived of tne llght ni "'h WIo
they nut the savior death. TIC 10Th or tlnOsJ one
i'm the triangle typi6os Christ the light OF the world
and AT the conclusion OF the ceremonies thls chc
taken away tcmI Or8riy, and at the same tlle iouu
nose is made aud the ghts in the church are l0"e.
representing the confusion OF natare St loss ad 'ho
darkness that covered the earth ~ Ills death; ,,
Hoy Thur 03y or, 10 II iF sometimes Called Ma!Iuy
Thur5day frOm tho CcIem NY of Washing the ~ Is
day OF and thanksgiving, rTWcSStd ny the W llI oi
bells, the white robes OF the =, vlS ana ue ii
adocnmeuts OF tie altar on this dy IS
the Lords Last SuppeT Gnd the Institution OF the great
sacrament OF tie Holy Eucharist. Although the chuich
during the week is snrou4ed with mourning ior li,c
passion and death OF the Lord nevertheless some CA
preston OF Joy considered necessary on the da o tc
Institution ui tnis sacrament, and, IN olutr 10 biNo
SpaIi during the year, called Corpus Chrs for rs more
uerfert celebration. On tins ar ri the tdthcil&!, tic
l OF ctccnumtr, oil Of uncilOn for Tie slcA thu INC
holy chris:n is blessed Tis is very Imposing cere-
churches rohec in iul yestments sl! consr't%.. to
Tie afhclial 10 ad the Cardinal III carrying out me
ceremonies with the greatest pomp and rlinteur IN
every church Is prepared uchB Ofnaincnttu ~Ilr
cEa.c or pavilion, where, after the mass the sacrament
il iarol IA q handsome repository. IL j. customary
anuAC Catholics Holy Thursday 10 vlSit these pa,
Nli.ons III namhcr Of churches in order IN pay tue lt
thci most humble adordlon, auu present hlh lIO4i
LlCst teryCTt suppicdtOI .,-,--.
Good Friday Commentaries the death and crllciAlcn
OF the Id ana the services in lie Catholic Churches
John and the alteration OF the cross ~ NE pltsts
ana people. Every Circumstance of the traEc! H. pat
bcoF. tns pcOpc not .cy in words, bat with an tle
eNuiCssiVeHrs> of ceremonial Ia many OF Inc ciuFc"s
tho savior III lie tomb. on Holy Saturday the 'e!e-
monies comprise chiefly the blessing OF the LolS water
ana It's distribution among LLc people ana tne IEH- u
OF las cr 10y. On thus Gay the AAcidt j. sN4L t4ic
church 10 changed from It's sOmbeT appearance, ana pr
scu,s dn aspect of eSutatiOn and JOY These services
are eltUrned with unusual gIandhess at inc 1iioh vi
the IGlst Fathers, in West tijyin'l-st. lbtfe are
ghust 20 priests al that church. which enables item 10
carry out the Roman ritual in ts completeness.