The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-04-23

u hlAlofy Of y DhI JuAt.t0 80 Observed
ana How IL Obtained Its Name.
Chicago Tribune,
Good Friday is the anniversary Of
Christ's death; Easter, the following Sum
day, commentaries the day OH which he
rose from the dead. 1t is only in England
that the term good" is applied to the
tirst-nsmsd day. It's ancient title was
Holy Friday, or the Friday in Holy Week,
The Saxons named it "Long Friday"
both because Of ia long religious services
and Of Its rigorous andprotraCted fast. The
Germans term II sometimes "Stillsr Frei-
tag" because bells and orgaus are silent
that day, and sometimes "Char-F reitag, y
from an old word meaning penitenCe. As
1t commentaries theday on which Christ,
the true PasChsl Lamb, was slain, It was
ancient Eastern churches; butthe Rppella-
ton oil "pasch Of the cruci6xIon, "or "the
sorroWlul pasch," WA o universally
applied to 1t by the Greeks, and
IL IL still so called in the East
and In several countries OF West
sln Europe, The early Christian writers
mention 1t as a day OF rigorous fast
Ing and peculiar solemnity. The ritual
observed both In the Greek and Latin
churches has special reference TO the cir
|CumstanGes Of Chrlst's death aud entomb.
ment, Hence In all large churches an
altar in q separate chapeliH decorated with
all possible magnilCence, and called "the
s%epulehre," Thither the ConseCrated host,
or "body OF the Lord,h Is borne in solemn
procession on Holy Thursday, and con-
tinues to be visited throughout the day BY
crowds OF worshipers, Good Friday
morning, after the chanting Of the proph.
eCies foretelling OhrisL's death and Of the
recital OF his passion from the Gospel OF
st, John, takes place the federation
or kissing OF the cross. A CruCltix Is plac-
I'd on the steps before the high altar, and
while the choir sings the "improperia" or
~reproaCheB OF the Messiah To the people
who cruCifed Him the officiating Clergy
and their attendants approach b~areiooted,
each one making three successive prostra.
lions before they kiss the feet OF the 60.
cred image. 1t Is then presented by the
cslebrant at the sanctuary railing 10 the
vsneration Of the people. In England,
before the Reformation, this Cere.
mony was called the Creeping to the
cross" as appears from q proclamation OF
Henry VIII: "Good Friday II shall be de.
clated howe creeping OF the crosse signi-
fyeth an humblyngeof ourselle to Christie
before the crosse, and the kissynge Of 1t a
memorie Of our redemption made upon
the crosse" After this ceremony the con-
seCrated host is brought in procession from
the sepulChre" to the high altar, where
1t is inCensed, offered to the alteration Of
all present, and consumed by the cele.
GRANT. This is called the "mass OF the
p|resanCtiiied" or preConseCrated bread, as
The eucharist elements are not ConseCrated
that day. In honor Of the redemption &C.
Complished Good Friday II was customary
in the early church to release public pen.
ltents from their probation and the ex.
communicated from their ban. The frat
Christian EmperorA, not satisfied with
closing the law courts during holy and
Easter weeks, honored the anniversary OF
salvation by liberating from prison and
recalling from exile all but tho worst Grim
inals, and also, to encourage the practice,
then becoming general, Of msnumitting
slaves In remembrance Of Christ's death
by allowing the courts and magistrates to
perfect the instruments necessary for this
purpose. These customs, sanctioned by q
decree OF Valentinian L. In S67, were EN-.
bodied by Justinian In his code. The
same spirit afterwards psryaded the man
ners and legislation OF Western people.
In England and Ireland Good Friday Is a
legal holiday as well Us q fast day. The
practice Of breakiastlng on hot Cross.buhs
this day isstill kept up in'the English cities,
and It Is also common in the United
States. In the North OF England 1t Is Gus.
tomary to eat herb puddings, in which a
principal ingredient is the "pasSion dock"
which in fruCtihcation produces iancied
representations Of the cross, nails, ham.
mer, etc. The English Kings were wont
In ancient times to hallow rings Good
Friday to preserve the wearerB from
epilepsy. The Protestant, Episcopal,
Lutheran and Reformed churches, as vol
as many Methodists, observe the day by
fasting and special services.