The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1876-05-24
For THE CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN.
LETTER FROM ATHENS, GREECE.
EASTER CELEBRATION.


The Easter festivities have Just ended, and
that being the great feast in the Anatolic
Church, l thought perhaps it would not be
uninteresting to many of our friends at home
to hear some account of it.
During the whole of Lent there have been
services in most, if not all the churches, both
morning and evening. The large bell of the
Russian Church near US tolled every MORN
ing, our Greek servant says, "for the death
of Christ. From the observations have
been able to make, think there is very lit
tie fasting done by the richer and more edu-
Gated people, until the last week of Lent,
when all fast, though many of the poor still
observe it strictly, not even letting the small
est child take anything with either oil or but.
ter. We were coming in few evenings ago
with a small package of cakes, when little
child of poor woman living near us fell and
hurt herself, so we gave it a cake, to which
she vociferously objected and actually ran
and jerked it away, but not until the little
thing had gotten one good moutbful, for
which sin, | suppose, there was some special
prayer, or remission asked.
The regular Easter services did not begin
until " Great Thursday" as the Greeks call
it. That evening the bells all rang, and
they had services in each of the different
churches, lasting during several hours. What
is called the "Twelve Gospels" that is,
twelve selections of scripture relating to the
passion of our Lord, were read at that time.
At the close, picture of Christ on the cross
is brought out by the priests into the middle
of the churches. 1t has formerly been Gus
tomary to bring out also an affigy of Judas
and burn it in public, but this has been aban.
doned.
During the day, Friday, picture repre-
senting Christ as taken from the cross, is
laid in state on bier richly ornamented
with flowers, &c. All day long the people
flock to the churches to kiss the hand and
feet of the picture, and beautifully orna
mented Bible lying on it, making at the same
time the cross, and | suppose, saying their
prayers, though there was but little appear
ance of devotion, except the kissing and the
crossing, which every one did, men, women
and children, even little babies in the arms
had their heads bumped down against it.
Just inside the door of each church was a
table, where consecrated flowers were bought
and sold and candles for the nights illumi
nation, reminding US all of what our Saviour
said when he overthrow the tables of the
money changers in the temple. Some of the
candles were beautiful wax tapers, varying
from three-fourths to two yards in length,
and gaily ornamented with gilded and tissue
papers Enthusiastically cut out.
That evening in all the churches was the
" Epilaphion," sort of funeral service
esur this reps Fascination or a dead U0uy; Hrrvr
which the priests take up the bier upon which
it is lain, preceded by the singers and six or
eight men carrying on long poles lamps, ban
nere, &c., the usual paraphernalia of Greek
funeral, except that in this, in front of all,
is man bearing wooden cross. The bier
is followed by an immense number of per-
sons, each carrying lighted candle in one
hand, and many of them, crying out "Lord
have mercy"
Each church or parish has its own procession
or s'burial of Christ" as it is called. We de-
cided to 60 to the Russian church, the sing
ing there being very fine and the service just
the same as in the Greek churches, except
that there is apparently more solemnity.-
That night the priests were elegantly dressed
in black silk velvet gowns, bordered with
silver tinsel, and the bishop wore splendid
mitre glittering with real diamonds. The
little boys of the choir wore long black
gowns, and the altar boys white robes. The
services there were quite long, consisting
principally of singing, chanting and reading
portions of scripture in Russian and ancient
Greek. About 10 P. NJ, the priests took
up the bier, placing it upon the head of the
bishop, and he, followed by the singers, the
priests, and, think, the Russian legation
here, walked down the aisle and out of the
door and round the church once, then COM
ing in again placed the bier just where it
was before. After this, wo concluded to 60
out, as we feared missing the other process
sions, so we walked down to the Square of
the Constitution, where, were we soon saw
any number of them passing and repassing.
The whole city being illuminated with the
lights, the sight was certainly beautiful,
many of. the proccasions were solemn and
impressive, some. being accompanied by sing
ing the funeral dirge, others by band Of
music, every person carrying lighted taper
and some crying aloud, lord have mercy"
but many wore anything but a solemn as
pect. In one procession which passed US,
there was a whole troop of boys, who were
riding on each others shoulders, playing
leap frog, and jumping and capering in every
imaginable way, crying all the time at the
top of their voices, "Lord have mercy"
Lord have mercy" This is kept up for
an hour OF two, when the priests carry back
to the churches the bier and the people dis
perse. During the day Saturday there is
no service in the churches, but at night the