Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-03-29
THE LAST WEEK or LENT.
Holy Week and its Observance in the Ro-
man Catholic and Protestant Churches
Preparing for Easter

man Cath olic and Protestant Churches
Preparing for Easter.
To-day is Palm Sunday, the beginning
of Holy Week and the last week of Lent
preceding Easter. It'll feast day in the
lenten period and takes its name from
the custom of blessing branches Of the
palm tree, or of other trees substituted in
countries in which the palm cannot be
obtained, and in carrying them in pro-
cessiOn in cOmmemoration of the trium-
plant entry of Christ into Jerusa-
| lem. The date of the custom
is uncertain, but the usage is
known to have existed in the seventh
century. The day is observed with spe;,
cial services IN the Roman Catholic and
Episcopal churches, and will be celebra-
ted in the Cathedral with unusual cere-
meny, at which ArchbishOp-elect Gross
Will Officiate.
The last week in Lent is one of the
most solemn periods in the church calen-
dar. 1t is sometimes called Passion
Week or passion tide, but that denomina-
ton is given in the Greek and Latin
churches to the week preceding Palm
Sunday and beginning with Passion Sum-
day. 1t was called in the early Christian
ages the "Great Week." both because of
| the event it commentaries and because
it was observed with the greatest sOlem-
nifty and strictness. Ancient writers
mention the fact that during this week
| Christians were wont to fast on one meal
| of bread, salt and water, taken in the
evening, while many abstained altogether
from food during the entire week, and a
still greater number took no nourishment
! during Good Friday and Holy Saturday.
| In the Middle Ages it was called
the Authentic Week." and in
Germany, Denmark and the Scandinavian
peninsula it is known as ''Still Week. :" The
greater number of Protestant churches
do not sOlemniZe the week at all. The
Lutheran churches generally and the
Church of England and the Protestant
Episcopal churches have special services
each day. In the Greek and other East
ern churches the observances and cere-
monial are substantially the same as in
the Latin church.
On Wednesday, Thursday and Friday
evenings the office of IenebTR is chanted.
1t consists of mathis and lauds for the
following mornings, which it is GUS
tOmary to recite over night. During
this Office large caRdlestick is
placed near the altar, bearing fifteen Ia
pers disposed in the form of a triangle,
and representing the light Of Christ and
of the prophets who had announced His
coming. As the Psalms are sung the ia
most remains. This, as it represents
Christ, is taken down and carried behind
the altar during the "Miserere," after
which it is put back III its place to sig
Nifty the temporary extinction of the light
of Christ between His death aud resurrec-
ton.
Thursday, being the anniversary of the
institution of the eucharist and of the
priesthood of the new law, is distinguish
@ of
canoe, which take place at the solemn
mass in cathedral churches-the cOnse-
Grafton by the Bishop, assisted by twelve
priests in full sac5rdOtal costume, of the
oils used in the administration of the
sacraments, and the washing of feet. AT
the end of the mass and after the process
sion the celebrant washes the feet of
twelve poor persons, while the
choir sings the words of st. john
MGRddtum nOUlnl de UObiS-"a new COM
mandment 1 give unto yOu"-hence
the name.Of Maunday Thursday, by which
the day is still known. In Rome the Pope
washes the feet of 10 poor priests in
memory of the body of the pOstlesraised to
that number by the extraordinary calling
of st. Paul. During the Gloria in ErcelSiS
Of the mass on Thursday all the bells are
rung, and thenceforward remain silent
until the Gloria IN E'rcelsjS of the mass on
Holy Saturday. A large host c0nsecrated
during this mass is carried in procession
at the end Of it to a side altar called the
sepulchre, richly decorated, on which it
remains, and where it is visited by the
faithful during the whole of the ensuing
day. On Good Friday the altar is denu-
ded to signify the desolation of the church,
the prOphesies which pertain to the story
of Christ's suffering are sung, the whole
body of the faithful perform what is
called the alteration of the cross. the
passion according to st. John is chanted,
and all proceed in silence to the sepul-
chre, whence the cOnsecrated host is
brought back in procession, offered in
alteration to the people, and consumed by
the celebrant. This is called "the mass
of tie pressanctihed," or preconsecrated,
no conservation taking place
on that day. On Saturday the services
begin by the blessing Of the "new fire.
from flint and steel struck to-
gether; the blessing of the Pascal can
die, an emblem of Christ arisen; the
of all the Prophetic passages Of
the Old Testament pointing to Christs
resurrection; then the benedlctiOn of the
baptismal fonts from which the clergy
return in procession singing the lltany of
the saints, and the joyous mass with its
Alleluias, fOretaste of the resurrection.