The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-03-29
THE TENEBRE.

THE MOST pLAISTIvE SERVICE IN ALL rHH
YEAn-PnEPARINo FOR HOLY THURSDAY.
Yesterday was the nrst Of the three SOLEMN days OF
Holy Week, whom tho Church puts on hor sable
mourning and chants In tho most doefu numbers her
sympathetic devotion to tho passion OF Christ Since
Palm Sunday, the day OF tho uiumpnai ontry Of the
Rcdcomer into Jerusacm there have been prayers and
hymns which tell OF the approaching contamination Of
the saviours earthly career. and Tor those two days
bciorc Good Friday all that prayer chant can do to
sing sadly In commemoration OF tho agony OF the
Saviour. tho time OF Ills death draws nigh, 10
avniled OF to give expression 10 tho profound sense
Of humble acknowledgment duo for the mercy and
tho love anifcsed for In these sorrowing hours
OF tho Rodecmcr's fe Tho affairs and sanctuarics In
all tho Catholic churches draped with purple GOV.
crings, and all tho ornaments concealed from view
In every part OF the church. Tho pictures and stat.
uary are hidden tho gidcd embioms OF many OF the
stages Of tho Savours life show nothing but the out.
lines cnvclopcd in purple coverings aud The whole
church wears gloomy appearance In harmony with
the services which are being held IN commemoratiou
Of tho Passion Perhaps the most mourntul service
held by tho Catholics throughout tho entire
year Ia that OF tho Office OF tho Tene6ve
when tho prophcsics OF jeremiah sung the most
plaintivn OF Grcgoran music. Three OF these "Lamcn
tations as they called sung each cvcning-op
Wednesday. Thursday and Friday Of this week. The
service Is so well known that no description Of Il
necessary Proicsants we'll as Catholics attending al
the churches on these evenings Tho "Lamcntation
are tho special feature which attract tho worshtppers
though the iuncrca chanting OF tho OF the oce
very SOLEMN During the service a largo triangular
candlcstick stands at side Of tho altar
number Of small iapcrs, each ono Of which extin
guishcd as particular part of the occ has been con-
cludcd, and this Is tho only light that
appears within tho sanctuaries. Tho onico was
yesterday sung at tho principal Catholic churches, boz
gin ming at four O'Clock IN the afternoon The effect Of
the service would doubt have been hcght cned had
been held at later hour when tho darkness tho
| m mn mo
OF ccbc lights around the churches, but MS tho
increasing twilight ihrcw gloom around she
sanctuarics and through the cdinccs that was
not IN contrast with the spirit Of tho prophst's
melancholy song thon being cbantcd The services
eighth street; tho Jesuts' Church, West sixteenth
street; the Paulist Fathers Church, Fifty.ninth
street tho Dominican Church, Sixty.nnth street aud
Lexington avenue aud ut her Of tho promucpS
Catholic churches OF the city, attracted large crowds Of
people. t.ftt4
In all the churches yesterday tho lndies Of the der>
cut congregations were busly cneagca u prepaslns
and decorating the a,tsrs or Repositories tcr indny
On Holy Thursday, rs to-day Is called, the hleesod
sacrament Is carried la procession IRON tho pvtuopal
altar to tho decorated repository which u placed
where II remains for she alteration Of ~
people during the cntiro day. The ln6Ics
OF each congregation vie with each csbo,
year after year IN making she particular ohsren q
which they may belong the most beautiful n ~
decoration Of The repository. Flowers and lights az
ornaments OF various sorts, many Of them veSv u~si,
and oared for tho OCCASION arc put In use - II;
decorations and tho result. Il that nearly ali d ihss
temporary affairs are Of very elegant design and vcr
beautiful In appearance Tomorrow the blers~
sacrament VIII DO carried back ia proocsr.on srcs
these repositories to tho high Altars aud conauuned
sno mass (which y called tho Of tho spgSnon
ne0' no o0nseossion taking place On Coed fsi1aYs