Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1885-12-23
CHREs1MAs AT BETHLEHEM.
The Celebrations and Services on Old
Christmas Eve-The Scene at the Chap
ell of the Nativity-The Grand Service,

ell of the Nativity-The Grand Service,
1 etc. $4r.t tS+ +st
Bethlehem of ,Judea the birthplace
of our Saviour, is second only in sacred
interest to Jerusalem, and the site of
the wondrous event which has given a
name to our era, neither history nor
tradition losing sight of SO memorable
a village Although under Turkish
dominion, it is wholly q Christian
town of about 5000 inhabitants,
these Christians belonging chiefly to
the Roman Catholic, Greek or Arme-
MAN churches. The Greek or Eastern
Church has adhered>to the old cal
endar. and never adopted the new
style brought in by the reformation
of the calendar by Pope Gregory XIII.
The 25th of December, according to
the old account, falls on the. 9Th OF
January. That day is still known as
Old Christmas, or Twelfth Night. The
most numerous of all the Christian
sects in Palestine and Syria are mem
bers Of the Greek Church. They are
spoken OF generally as. the Greeks; but
they are SO called merely because they
belong to the Greek Church. They are
Arabs OF the country, and Arabic is
the vernacular language. However,
the whole church service is said in
Greek when the high clergy officiate.
1t is customary for great numbers of
the residents OF Jesusalem, as we'll as
visitors, to spend Christmas at Bethle-
hem, as the churches celebrate it there
with great pomp and ceremony. Most
90 there as worshipers, while many
others 60 simply as spectators OF the
ceremonies. The Greek patriarch Of
Jerusalem, whose see extends over the
whole of Palestine, both east and
west of the Jordan, proceeds yearly to
officiate at the religious services on
Christmas eve, in the Church of the
Nativity, at Bethlehem. The process
sion leaves the patriarchal palatial
CITY residence, at about noon on the
eve, in great state. First in order ride
! Nakarieye and Shadirma, the old style
of Oriental cavalry, in the picturesqe
Bedouin costume, the Nakarjeye, or
drummers, beating with leather thongs
weird and yet martial kind of
tattoo upon small drums fastened on
either side of their saddle-bows. Next
| to this detachment ride a company of
| fierce Bashi- Bazouks, armed, like the
preceding cavalry, to the teeth. The
Cavasses, ecclesiastical and consular
guards, follow, gorgeous in suits OF
cloth heavy with gold embroidery,
armed with pistols and cimetar, bear
ing in the right hand q long silver
mace, the bottom of which rests on
the old-fashioned stirrup. Behind
these out-riders are the patriarch and
the Russian archimandrite, in the
flowing black robes of the Greek clergy.
Next ride the Russian and Greek con-
suls, with their official staff, all in full
dress uniform. Behind these, in order
of rank, come the bishops, priests,
monks and choristers of all the nu-
merous monasteries and churches, al
so the clerical students and officers in
the civil service. Private citizens from
all ranks of society and pilgrims from
all parts of the world bring up the
rear.
The procession, in numbers often
counting several thousands. winds it's
way through the streets Of the city,
leaving by the Jaffa Gate. On the
Plain of Rephaim the order OF march
breaks, and the Shadirma and Bashi-
Bazouks, cavalry Cavasses, and every
one else who feels so inclined, performs
feats of craftsmanship. At Rachel's
tomb the Patriarch is met by hun
dreds of the Bethlehem and Beit-Jala
men on foot, firing their guns, shout
ing, clapping their hands, and singing
as they precede them to Bethlehem.
As the cavalry and citizens join iii
this demonstration, the whole has
more the appearance OF cOnqueflng
army than of devout and peaceful
company of worshipers; but they
come to celebrate the anniversary of
the birth Of the greatest conQueror
the world ever possessed, and there
fore think it not ulmeet to render a
hero's honors. Up through the billy
streets of Bethlehem this great army
wends it's way, the procession con-
stantly growing larger. AS they pass
the houses they are greeted with songs
of welcome from the windows by the
women and children. They arrive at
the great square which fronts the
great fortress-like edifce that holds
three extensive monasteries, the great
complex Church of the Nativity.
The cavalry form into line on either
side, through which the Patriarch
rides. A procession Of priests and
monks from the monastery, wearing
magnificent robes, preceded by large
number of chanting choristers, meet
him at the gate sprinkling holy Water
and rosewater all over the place.
Two officials from the Russian and
Greek consulates hold the stirrup on
either side while the Patriarch dis
mounts-a token of the submission OF
the temporal to the powers spiritual.
The Patriarch, his suite, the consuls
and their staff, etc., all retire to the
reception rooms, where they are served
with refreshments, and later, a repast.
The monasteries of this vast edifce
belong severally to the Greek, Latin
and Armenian scots, and theguardian-
ship OF the church is distributed among
these three communities, of which the
various sections under their several
care are minutely measured off. The
special Chapel of the Nativity is, how
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