The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-02-18
SCENES AT CIIRIST'S TOMB.
TURKISH GUiRDs KEEPTyG THE PFiCE
BETWEEN CHRTsTIfNS.
Inside the Church OF the ScpuIchrc- shrtncs
ueaped on Shrinrs Fanatic Russian i'iI-
grims-rhe Miracle OF the Holy Fire.

fl"m me Adn fiuNi~D thfifrif.
JTRreArTM Dec G+I have never met with
u description of the Church oi the Holy put
chre that gave me "a tioar or definite impress On
OF The int rior. | don't believe i can I" de-
with any d"grcc u reverence or 10 qui II with
out SORROW and shame. Werc these Turkish
the watch Tor the first outbreak OF fanut.risn 10
would I've M much as mans life was worth IT,
venture into tine sane uary without "A body guard.
within the church. gathered under the shadow
OF ue chicl shrno. TN" Holy Sepulchrc lts'H,
p n1u uie 1T cHnGregI ,,,i @, i'Ssef
Golgotha is Just ~ feet above the pavement
81 llc church. containing. in its Chapel oil the
Raising OF the Cross. the hole IN the rock. silver
mounted. where the cross stood. with Two holes
Tor the crosses of the thicves the cieit in the
rock, brnss mounted. where the earth was rent
aud which Is said TO reach to the centre Of the
earth; the Chapel Of the Agony. whore lie was
nailed to the cross the spot where He was
taken down from the cross tho spot where the
three Marys stood. Under Golgotha Is the tomb
blood Of Christ drippcd through the cleft in The
rock, thus restoring him to life. II is Adams
skui unt e placed at the foot OF a.rucnN. Tho
tpmls OF Mcichizedek. Joseph OF ArimatIcn,
Nicodcmus Godfrey de Bouion. and BALDWIN
|. are all under the one roof. You have only To-
walk few PAGES. and YOU come upon shrincs IN
rapid succession. Here " the place whore our
Lord was crowned with thorns where lie mp
pohrcd W Mary Magdalen. the pillar tp which
on which II body was laid for the anointng,
the spot where He first appeared to the Blrss 1t
VIRGIN after HIS rtsurre' ton. the centre OF the
earth. the place where the dust taken out
OF which Adam WINS formed. the place whore
the garments were parted. the place where the
true cross was found. No. | am told that tho
spot whore the cock crew thrice Is shown 10 this
duy, but have not soon H.
shrincs. having been up stairs t. GolsOtha and
down stairs to tue Chapel Of the Finding of tn.
Cross. came at last 10 the Sepulchrc and
paused nt the threshold awaiting nay turn To
enter. The Holy nepulchre. us It now stands
is no srpulchrr. There II no trace OF grottO
or u cavity in the rock or of the rock itself I'M
der the great dom" OF the church. IN the centric
OF an amphithcatre. surrounded 10y two lofty
galleries with arches, pictures. statues, lamps,
and banners, Is chapel, sixteen sided 20 feet
IN length and Ia feet ia width, Guards stand
at "a. small door, unicr silkcn canopy that
stretches nearly TO one side OF tho dome. AT
l,nsth my turn omee: nnd myself in
chamber measuring i6NlO feet. which * called
the Chapel of the Angel In the centre 81 this
chapel IT, huge stone. said to /" that which
the angel rolled away and on which Ia" alter
ward sat The chapel was dmly lght~l. A
few figures grope about II. ono cmcrgrs from
the figure Hills the passage for u moment. and
then -'- n flood OF light and inhale delicious
breath of incense; stoop to enter the inner
chapel, and find that n solitary priest who IL as
motionlcs- rs a statue. is the only person
pres mt This chapel IN but six and a half feet
lamps swing from the low ceiling; they seem t.
cNhale exquisite perfumes. On the right Of
the chapel - an altar OF marble, i've Tot in
lgngth. Two in breadth. and three feet in height.
The wall above the altar II covered with gaudy
r.icis and pictures wrought IN silver and gold;
Mass Is said hero daily. Tor this is the tomb Of
The mracc Of tho Holy Fire is certainly with
out rival in Christendcm. Holy saturday. tho
! eve Of Easter IL the day on which thus miracle
takes place. Thousands Of Crock aud Russian
! pilgrims visit Jerusalem during Holy Mcrk:
/ an these dcvotecs make sure 81 seeing thus
/ famous miracle. The church on Good Friday
/ H. ihrons,d many Of those who are in the
church IN Friday have with them mats. proyi-
siuns, water and cigareits, and they are thus
enabled Ia spend the might in the temporary
/ galleries cr,lted under The lower arches Of the
/ rutundn. aud 10 remain until aficr the mira 'e
takes piacr. which II usually At L. VI on Satur-
a. MaHn ID N fIaHk ohm fINsH D
Ia The churrr is doafcning- goi into diiiiruliy
/ ~.ul th"-. VII" -'"'k iv usurp their places. and
are fOrclbly separated 10y the Turk lSh guards,
who are on this occasion distributed thickly all
over the church.
u brutal and ignorant race. whose iannticisr on
/ Holy Thursday knows no bound saw" the wall
them with fixed bayon-ts. A. | was pass nE
/ through the aisle OF the church on my way 10
| the Latin Convent adjoining, and through
! winch was IT, giiin access Ia the upper gallery
81 IN" rpiundn. was overtnken 10y mob 81
Russians. who were quite mai with excitement
+ lhry " r. naked 10 the waist. were linked arm
in-ium. aud wers rushing round and round.
shrlrkins at the top OF their Voices. Had not a
small body 81 soldiers beit'n them back " IN
4 the butts Of their musSets. and the party was
with would probably have been trnupled under
| loot. II was with IN" utmost difficulty that
gained the left porch that had been reserved for
| me- 10y Syrian friend. The lamps within
and without the sepulchre were eXtlngu shed !;
! few hundred OF thu moro fcryd Russians had
] i"'tn Tor hours huggng the walls OF the Holy
] Scpul-hrr; some III them were dashed To II with
/ ropes. lest the excited mob should sweep them
/ away. or They be unable "a retain their position
in cunsequcnc" OF iaintness and fatigue. \
! regiment Of Turkish infantry surrounded tn"
/ chapel. Keeping an open pa-s'ige quite around
I II. and connecting " IL the Greek chapel oppO-
! site the door of the Holy S'pulchre. A. the
/ hour ot drew near. the excitement increase II.
Already the Greek priests had passed thrice
Ured hastily t. tHeir chanel IN I1r The pr"te't
| ing bayonets OF the Turks meanwhile tho mad
russians, reeking with sweat, foam NJ at tho
their fists at the walls OF the sepuchre shriekrd
AT tho top of their voices: Jesus Christ has
/ died fer u.s. Jesus Christ has died for US"
Ca III" two sides of the Sepuichrc. near tho
/ entrance. ar. rrund or oval nperturcs. usually
/ closed On Holy saturday th"S holes ar" open; ;
Il H. the wish ot every good Greek or Russia a.
eet a. near them H. possible, for out Of tI' 80
/ apnrur's issues the holy fire.
Tn priest enters tn" srpulchre and eXtln-
cuisines the LAMPS. Presently lighted talrrS
are thrust out ol Inc aprrturc- md these taIr.r-
/ straight from heaven. In consequence of tins
/ miracle the fire il very precious and il Is Tn.
/ wish OF every one present Ia grt "a portion of n
r IT, soon ~ possible. when the rN'iteulont heluw
wis II its height sAwa bundle Of tiprrs en-
] NoluprI in flames thrust suddenly out OF tine
/ aperture opposite me. All tn" throng. "n 10
with his bundle 81 tapers. rush "a upon the
/ asnin the flames slowly spread; swift runners
/ M!ih blazing torches rushed mt. every part
the end. were let DOWN from the two galleries
! ~ the rotdnda; tho tapcr-. wrr" lighted aud
! drawn up; the danes spread from arch 10 arch.
/ nrn m.nuu IRON lnn im9 when ne tilrrs
wrr" first thrust from th" II ly Srpurhr" tho
. entire huiding WIS one hollow pyramid Of
nlme. The air n " thick with smoke the idea
OF -. ape was uut Of the question; the smoke
! and IN" eVrtennnnt and rush Of th" mob must
| first suhedr. The half-naNod Russians near
the Srpul"lre smeared their faces and bodies
! with the melting AMI blazing wax. They are
/ thus purified 10y lire, and report says they nr"
| never burned. OF this know nothing Though
| saw them d. wonders In M" way of moulding
/ tn burning wuN with their hands.
In 1854 during this mirnrl, ot the fro, whit"
tho church WIS crowded with excited mnuti s..
"A panic occurred. ia which nearly 300 pilgrims
| were sulfo'aiad or tramplcd 90 Death, II hans
] now become the custom Ia clear tn church NJ
the point Of tho hayonrt whenever blood has
| been shed within it, sacred walls.
The New Italian Law for the Clergy.
Fioa me Ner lok Tins.