Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1879-04-04
HOLY WEEK.
The Closing Week Of the Lenten
Season - Palm Sunday Holy
Week and Easter.


Season - Palm Sunday - Holy
Week and Easter.
We are fast approaching the end OF
Lent. One week more, and that season
of penitence will be over and We will
emerge into the bloom and brightness
of Easter. Apart from the religious as
pect of the subject, these alternating
seasons of fasting and feasting render
the Roman Catholic and Episcopal
Churches exceedingly picturesque. Out
side the pale of these denominations il
large body uf religious cavaliers, who,
belonging to sects which recognize no
seasons OF especial devotion or joy, are
inclined to carp at such observances as
being merely formal distinctions. This
isall wrong. All the exercises and genu-
fiexions, all the altar ceremonies, all the
illumination, decoration, professions and
changes of priestly garments, which 60
for nothing with this class OF cynlcs, or
or are denounced by them, have beau
tiful symbolic meaning. There il a soul
behind each and all, and it is this soul
which animates and inspires the intelli-
gent and devout believer. AS We have
ineicated below, the old fashion was to
include the last two weeks OF Lent
under the general name OF Passion
Tide. the first OF the two weeks being
known as Passion Week and the last as
HOLY Week. Custom has with some
people somewhat modified this distinc-
ton. Next Sunday will be Palm Sunday,
commemorative OF Christs entry into
Jerusalem, when the multitude strewed
his pathway with palm branches. Dur
ing the present season We think that
Lent has been kept with more than its
usual feryor. Doubtless the conviction
tnat times are bad has had something
to do with that depression OF the emo
tons which is most apt to find relief
through a religious outlet. But with
the coming OF spring and the reawak-
ening of nature, new hopes dawn, and
the celebration of Easter will doubtless
be general, deep and hilarious.
ORIGIN OF sOLEMNITIES.
Passion week is the name often given
TO the week Immediately preceding Eas-
ter and otherwise called Holy Week
But bv the proper rubrical usage Pas
! sion Week is that which precedes Holy
Week, commencing on Passion Sunday,
the fifth Sunday of Lent. In the Roman
calendar the whole of the last fortnight
of Lent is known by the name OF Pas
siontide, and all the services OF that tide
| differ i'm many respects from those, not
alone of the year, but even OF the rest OF
| Lent. Holy Week has come to mean
the last week of Lent Immediately pre-
ceding Easter Sunday. The term holy
is applied to it because it is commemo-
rative of Christ's death for the redemp-
ton OF mankind. 1t was called in early
Christian ages the Great Week, both be-
cause of the mighty event it cOmmemo-
rates, and because 1t is observed with
| the greatest solemnity and strictness.
Tertnllian, I.actantius and Chrysostom
mention the fact that during this week
! Christians were wont to last
on one meal of bread, salt
and water, taken in the evening, while
many abstained from all food the entire
week, and still greater number touch
no nourishment during good Friday and
Holy Saturday. In the middle ages it
was called the Authentic Week, and in
Germany, Denmark and the Scandina-
Wan peninsuar it is stillknown as such.
The greater number OF Protestant
! churches do not sOlemniZe this week.
The Lutheran Church, the Church OF
| England and the Protestant Episcopal
! Church have special services for each
| dav. In the Greek and other Eastern
/ Church,s the Observances and cercmo-
MES are substantially the same as in the
] attn IL gnmmuDpna with
PALM SUNDAY,
when the blessing of palm branches and
other evcrgreens and the distribution Of
them to the people, who carry them in
| procession, are designed 10 recall the
! circumstances attending Christ's tri-
umphant entrance into Jerusalem. On
! "Wednesday, Thursday and Friday even
ings next the Office TcnebrG darkness,
/ from the darkening of the churches) is
chanted 1t consists of the mathis and
lauds for the following mornings, which
| il is customary to reCite over night.
| During this office large candleslick
is placed near the altar, bearing
fifteen tapers disposed in the form OF u
triangle, and representing the light OF
Christ and OF the prophets who had an
nOunccd His coming. As the psalms
are sung the tapers are extinguised, I'M
Ill only the tOpmost remains. This, as
it represents Christ, is taken down and
carried behind the altar during the
Miserere, after which it is put back in
its place, to signify the temporary ex-
tinctiOn of the light of Christ between
| His death and resurrection. Thursday
next being the anniversary Of the insti-
tuition of the eucharist and of the priest
hood of the new law, is distinguished by
two ceremonies Of great significance
which take place at the solemn mass in
cathedral churches; the conservation by
the bishop, assisted by twelve priests in
full sacrcdotal costume, OF the oils used
in the administration OF the saCraments,
&c, and the washing of the feet. At
the end Of the mass, and after the pro-
cesSion the celebrant. washes the feet Of
twelve persons while the choir sings the
words of st. John, Mdnddium nOr1m do
nOJis, "A new commandment give I'M
TO YOU" Hence the name OF
MAUNDY THURSDAY
by which this day is still known. In
Rome the Pope washes the feet of thir-
teen pOorpriests, in memory OF the body
of the Apostles raised to that number
blythe extraordinary calling of st. Paul.
During the Gloria in Excelsis" of the
mass OF Thursday all the bells are rung
! and thenceforward remain silent until
GLORIA in Excelsis' in the mass Of Holy
Saturday. A large host, consecrated du-
ring the mass, is carried in procession at
the end of it to a side altar called
the scpulchrcl, richly decorated, on
which it remains, and where it is Wis
! tied by the faithful during the whole of
the ensuing week.
A British Disease.
The most marked popularity that will
impress the American traveller when he
walks the streets of London for the first
/ time, is the great number OF excessively
tat people whom he everywhere meets.
/ lie 1T first suppOSes these persons TO be-