The Rock Island Argus., 1882-04-06

and Catholic societies of this city, as vel
as by the members of those churche:
| throughout the civilized world.
The week also includes day that has
been celebrated by the Israelites for cen
| turies, although the manner of such cele
bration has materially changed from the
custom of the early times, as at the pres
ent time the feast is not so vigorously OBJ
served as was formerly the case.
| PASSION WEEK.
morning and terminating the latter part of
the week, is known as Passion week, and
is usually described as the week immediate.
ly preceding Easter. Another name by
which this period is designated is Holy
week The latter term is said to be cor
rect and appropriate, as by the proper
rubrical usage Passion week is that which
precedes Holy week. commencing on Pas
sion Sunday, which is the fifth Sunday in
Lent In the Roman calendar the whole
| of the last fortnight of Lent is known by
| the name of Passion tide.
The services of this period are changed
as from those which mark the rest of
Lent
In the Catholic church certain portion
of the service is discontinued.
1t is customary to veil the sacred repre-
sentations during Passion tide.
Passion week contains such days as
Good Friday and Easter.
GOOD FRIDAY.
Tomorrow will be Good Friday. 1t is
a day held sacred by the church in remem-
brance of the crucifixion of the Savior on
the cross. This day has been kept as a
day of mourning and of special prayer
from very early period. Ii was one of
two paschal days celebrated by the Chris
tian Church. 1t was originally observed as
a day of rigid fast and of solemn and mel
ancholy ceremonial. When Christianity
was established in Rome. Constantine for
bade the holding of courts, markets and
other profane business.
In the Catholic Church the altar is strip
ped of its ornaments; the priests are robed
in black; the kiss of price is omitted in
detestation of the statue of the traitor Ju-
das. The most striking part of the cere
mony is the so-called alteration of the
cross
In England, Scotland, and in all Cathe-
lie countries. Good Friday is legal holi-
In the United tates, however, it is not so
held by the laws of the land
EASTER SUNDAY
will occur next Sabbath, and it will be OBJ
served as festival in honor of the resur-
rection of Christ.
In ancient times the poor and needy
were even feasted in the churches at this
festival. It was the favorite time for bap-
ism, and is still generally employed for
confirmation. Slaves also received their
freedom on this day, and as the austerities
Of Lent were over, the people gave them
selves up to enjoyment
The proper time for the celebration of
Easter has occasioned no little controversy. /
early as the second century a dispute |
arose as 10 the time for observing this fes- |
ival. A portion of the dominant church |
it on the 14th day of the first |
Jewish month, while another portion con- |
tended that the Sunday following the
above noted day should be observed. The
council of Nice decided that Sunday was
he proper day for its celebration. The
most characteristic Easter rite and the one
most widely diffused is the use of what is
ermed Easter eggs. The use of these eggs
vas originally symbolical of the revivifiea-
ion of nature-the springing forth of life
n the spring. This practice is not confin-
d to Christians, as they were used by the
Tews, and it was also custom among the
oersians.