Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1881-03-18
Christmas i'll Bethlehem.

soften i0H a;d each O,Let, aud Il fcclian
%! i4Ee toward al i4un.Hnii} IL hiudle,i
IN ~ II tcsoL!S. when ttcs think of the
SayiUnr, WHO c!kAtGoE AupG.d yc~ys
age 20 hun1!cG Himself icr the love IL
bore toward taantiud as t. Lc bJru i. 4
mIlger at BJ.E!lAem, which place i
Sscoiii only lii gucted Interest t. J<t.
salem ATT! t.4c Sic of the WonlrouS e. nt
which has gwen naEle TO our era.
Neither history nor tradition LOSES ST.; 1T
of so memorable d village; thereto!
~o viii ia ina sia,,tiun g to Bethlen cnI,
AID sce how Christmas il cOmmemvr-
ateti there.
Bethehom is M al most en- tirely Chris
ti.A city, Of live thou and inhabitants
tn Sc Christians belonging to the Eomau
Catholic, Greek and Armenian Gnu ca
es, there being only about one hun
iyod Pro:estan;s, who are converts from
these churches.
AZ we near tho town on Christmas
Eve, We see the road from Jerusalem
covered with hundreds of pedestrians
and equestrians, IL almost every imag
Unable Costume. They are bound for
Bethlehem, as il is customary for great
mum bers of the residents of Jerusalem
! to spend Christians there, whore the
/ Roman Catholic Church celebrates it
with great ceremony. The Catholics go
there az wofshipers. while hundreds of
others 80 ~ spectators OF the ceremo-
! MES. There being 10 vehicles Of any
kind between these two places, people
have to got there on horses, donKeys,
males, and cnmels. Numbers of peo-
pie walk to Bcthlohen, as il is OILY IL
distance of five miles. Tic road has q
gay appearance on this December after
noon. VAu snn is shining brighGiy and
the fields are covered with white and
pink crJcusos. There 80 a party OF
European ja,ics and gentlemen, mount
cd on horscb }ch; a company OF desert
Arabs, with iarSesYyliow silk hAnlhor-
chiefs on their lie AIS, tied on with black
rope, ENtio Of cancels ham; some Rus
siA4 pilgrims, wearing Gaeep2kln dress
Cs, with the wool iusl3C; then large
p4;', of ! ! iyD .ueI ana Women, a5trido
dOuh Us Wi,IrD, rt4llNls, tiu sa.ullt
0AN.'. Il. IrSc clShi0u II front, 10 keep
,."4lturf Cw fSi 4"oyGr his Lead whom
,ue ,'u4 - 5.tnh.r9, W. 'ch is OttAn,
and o--a ajHlb.gu oneS insist on ts0t-
e l.-r tao CO. Of Al deep raviac,
,..al. = t.il, u GA tiipgery rooba.
H.3y .o4&. ! aa, BIDS pround his
tE, 80. a. by g. ran teAil., rad rohe
@lt up with " sharp slick or long
3ceD-,.
Ou1 uoIae Is attracted to q long line
ii b,;a. l4.n. Il j. liz Catholic Patti
are, o1 Jsruaaiem, long 20 Il -t4leh> N.
l,G, procession Is very grant, large,
"rG >d.'o s.te !. \ squad oi mounted
GO..cy4.eA, : . ~ atiitod, bead the pro
crteI.U; c..>uiry; I;et. luiuS, Oh tholr
Arp}llA stuc,s. The pnt!iaIch is clothed
in Lilo purple cloak and cariiual hist.
i great company Of bishops, prien;n,
anu GeAcous are III his snite. Then 'oi-
lew company Of Jews, Turks, inhicls,
ana horetics, dressed i'll fantastical
Or;ea'at garments. mounted on any
beast they cou.d got hold Of.
HanIrcds OF Bethlehemites, of both
sexes, all in gay holiday attire, noT
N set this procession, and salute III. IL
with songs, firing Of guns, and drum
ming on drums, kettles, tin pans, AID
some bearing cymbals. They head the
procession, dancing, singing, clapping
their hands, till they enter Bethlehem;
and Us they pass through the streets
they arc greeted with cheers and with
songs from the windows and house'tOps,
by the women and children.
The Catholic, Greek, and Armenian
inconsistencies and the great c 'mpirx
ClhrIl! OF the Nativity are all under
one root, which covers the Suppose"
stuhir-cave where Christ WAS c;haiea.
They all form great fortress like edi-
ice, in front of which 10 "a large ope.
square, which is n0w crowded with
people, almost of every description
turkish soldiers, ranged in lines; aud
procession of monks and priests, gor-
goously attired-who mea3 the Jerusa-
lem Patriarch with great deal of care-
mony. Then all the guests eLter the
convent, where they are Hospitality
received.
The Church of the Nativity was built
by the Empress Helena, in the fourth
century. liz the fifth it was destroyed;
when It was restored, IN y. ID. $50, by
The Enveror Justinian. Ii is Il Ilagniti-
cent building, Of very tiuo architect
ure. The grand service begins AbOu.
midnight. the Church being brilliantly
lit up. Flowers and GvCrgrcens adorn
the altar, pillars, ana cnantieliers. The
ciuwd is so great tina: there Is barely
Gtan .irc.goom, aud most OF the people
nre Io!tirg lighted waX tapers, some oi
which are adorned with sprays OF
flowers. l: is marvel that they don't
SIT FIRE to each other. The service is
conducted by the Patriarch, during
Wn:2b several monks appear, dressed
III iu:a, reuyVsru..ny the shepherds.
\ sou1 OF glorious harmony suddenly
bursts OUT from til huudteds of priests
,.a, mh!cA, singi,s the " Gloria in Ex.
eel u.s. l. is canght mp by the wor-
shippers ana the scene for 4 few moments
is thrilling. The service continues till
about ihree O'Clock, when it is ended
by Ii prOc ession. III which the Patriarch
carries u waxon image. representing
Christ, in golden crib. Ii is taken
down into the grotto or nanger which is
hewn il the natural rock and supposed
to be the Manager i'll which Jesus
was laid. Gold and silver lamps
arc suspended al over the place, which
are kept burning night and day. An
other ceremony is performed in the
grot:o, laying tie image intothe manager,
and tie patriWc!: wraps it up in swaa-