The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1883-05-06
RASTER AMONG THE MELcIuzEs.
The Peculiar Services OF = uraRsA - the
RssAa Catholic Chuseh 10 Psisstine.


OF uaifn. which amounts to about 1000 souls.
consists. so far as religious distinctions uto
concerned OF Mosicms. Roman Clthoics-hcre
called Latins"-Orthodox Greeks. and Greek
Catholics. or Mclchites. OF these the latter are
the most numerous. This town may DO con-
sidcred tho stronghold OF the NelSiites
Schismatics. They are moro Influential here
than in any other town in Syria. They COM
pose two-thirds Of It's entire population.
Originally Orthodox Crock. they owe their orr
gin to the missionary Efforts Of Romlsh priests
and Jesuits during the last two centuries.
As the object has been to gain partisans. moro
pains have been taken to obtain nominal sub
mission to the authority OF tho Pope than any
rcal change VI doctrine or ritual. To this day.
I.azarsts. Franciscans. Carmclites. and Jesuits
are active In their efforts 10 make proselytes 10
this sect from tho Orthodox Greek Church.
They allow them to retain their Independence
Of R,mc in many particulars Thus II Is gov
crned By Patriarch at Damascus who owes
allegiance to tho Pope. Mass is celebrated in
Arabic. they administer tho sacrament in both
kinds. they retain their Oriental calendar aud
their priests may be married men. though
they mag not marry after ordination.
They differ from the Orthodox Greek Church in
this. that they tax" the Occidental view of tho
procession of tho Holy Spirit. They believe in
Purga;ory. they eat fish in Lont and acknow-
edge the Papa supremacy. Otherwise they
have made no change In passing from one
jurisdiction to tho other As pervcrts they
IRE na' urally intensely hated by the Orthodox
Greeks and when disturbances take place be-
tween MoSlcms and Christians the Greek or
thodoS are generally to be found siding with
the Mosloms against Roman Catholics and
Melchites.
To this sect belong somc OF the weal;hiest
and mos aristocra,ic families in Syria. As tho
ordinary travs,,.ri. no, oI,.r bron,ht into CON.
'u''"' u"'o'ei - NV "''e'i " ous"t ''0o 'oi'-
tact with them. was not sorry for the opnor-
tuni,y which my residence furnished me of
>v;tnna.ip,, ,neir Faster ohasrv,no.s Amid
. '' ~ ,' a. INV"
night on the Saturday preceding Easter Sun
dny the fegti.a, i. announced by n great con-
summation, ~ ,,,,,,o,.d.r A, nnronr ,,,,;o,,
eu'n',''u vi suh'o"upi' an ul"onr "hion
till the early maes Tho Mclci.ite church il the
.l,r,..s, ,r1 ,,,., ;rn,o,,, II, Mic, I, ,s,,
49, ~" me- ,,,,,,np,J ,' ~, n, NJ
"n srT, ,,rmtn ~ =" ra,S .'u,
tnrns n,,, in III rrandns. n,,irs phn m,
w"nr ,hort !" ,,nhrdidar.d ;,ctn,s win inn ni
No, S", IL 1n.ho,5' WIN iollt;
hr,ilinn, no,"rs nnd inn,,psr,hir hmtions '
M .cs,oi.'l m bes, anu pas..y lroWssrs.
ic @ a." ,,i NV, IL t i,vS' WIFI.
Drawn Drawn oyer tncir ncait nro h",d under Their
ars;e ', 800, ,i III, i MI S"s
ni S.s,. H,' ,. r3s an, tnnr
epy ,rno -sn ,. S" nars "a, sye, sni,.n,.
al, al.
byi,,htsst ~ ysrr,ants ,iaa,ifuiiv ~
VII, IL ~, "a, a u.eh'iiu''
The harrow stree, leading to the church Is
unti, &C., suia"niy mea, a lout. voiccJ nr a...'
Sinn Inc nr;n.ts n,cn,,n,'iad t,v chdrr;s,o,a
W., ~ ~ c cSnt VI. liz
IL ~ " & ~ a., o'i.,',. as my Ky
Snvinur on a nruciiis viii rod nnsj prn .n"
v N ,,i "' ~ n
Tlis nr,nrs ,hrs ,n;cs ' 'dity rrwsr ti'yI H.,
nrn ~ "' n;n a"u nous"'nns wnith
fnnae ar M, aowd ", ; Watn
hors,.tous nro cImstcrnd tic IN vdr;iv Ire a. s
tts Dirls mn,n whom NO surh roui,;r,ion y,
an'mssu. nh9 ,hrn may . De nwrhoned we
begin IL consists In s,ttinn on sauibs c,nck.
Sfs Tha GUNS M me sneetainr Is nm9st
Gle so lnrye that il fila ihs whole court ward
cnch man thriving his arms ricbt and left
round his ;, nsishbor's mex, and lifting up his
t0 hnVs s"me mmssnl nnnnnntan ~ s wipb tna
screm,ns OF a his noishhors Ii is a dull dance.
stem, In time y.ilinp AMI I.erinp nj aan1
other in an idiotis manner. and IottinC OIL
ci,"meni A. inr ns Gould W,t Ike s sn oy h "i
songs were rather Of un ainorons than a rei.
ions character. '''
With an oSSn Bib" in his hand. lie nror" Slei
t""n ,lsnCin,: These RANGED ihe,ns ,rns rim, IN
and Inil bes lie nm aud he go mmencei ~ Arabic
H. read in a loud voic" a CHAPTER rom On" Cos
bel Of St John When IA" nnl reni a certain
number If verses he paused and aip,If :, him
bred guns wont off in "A sort Of fan ,,n ;nin
Then he read on while hia audience lo1daj
thnir guns, Then he p,i,.nd n,.nin. ,rb.y
fired again, and so On ali through the cbnp,sr
thus ein phasiz ns as it ws,o til" most striking
passages by period onI exposions OF punpow,
der Whom this was over tie church bail rang
and some uIiusis with round high -rrnwnci
hats and locks flowing over their sboudnrs
mnIe their appearance | was told by "A
Mc!chit. friend that there wns no usr in Going
to church now ~ eyerybody intsndnd To- % ana
gnt drunk and pay visits and Indulge in more
Iancin. OF a lass r,Ystrainod chnir,rtSr hut
that thor, would t,e "A battor mass ON tho fol
lowing day bocauso the French Consul was
going 10 attend in full uniform and ever ybnIv
would be- there
ThtH Eus,rr festival lasts three davs Tho
mrrrinont jnrr.nsrs and runinn,ca ON
tho iAat day, at tho oxpirntion o. which
everybody has given proof OF his relivinus
devotion by arriving al blind stnIe OF
intoSlra,ion When in This snuctiHed CON
dillon dis,urha uccs not unfreuu"ntiy occur
between these Christian worshippnrs and Tia
Moslems. in whose mind Christian reirioms
ceremonial is inscpnl,bly connrcteI with
drunken lots and Wild or.iss Tho Gnr'j,tan
or Turkish Governor OF III" town fearing tnat