San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1888-03-30
GOOD FRIDAY.
Mass of the Pre- Hottest
of the Year.

Mass of the Pre-Sanctified-- Hottest
of the Year.
Good Friday, to commemorate the suf-
ferings and death Of Christ on Calvary,
is being observed in the churches today.
1t is q festival In which even protestants
should join, but only Catholics and
Episcopslians are visibly celebrating it..
1t has been the custom Of the Catholic
church to abstain from celebrating mass
on Good Friday, from the fact that it IL
the mourning day Of the year, and the
mass has always been regarded as q joy
full and consolatory act. But In order
to show forth In some manner the death
of our Lord on the great anniversary of
his stonement, two hosts are oonsecrated
Thursday, and the one placed in the re-
spository for the alteration Of the faith
full is brought back to the altar and there
consumed. The circumstance of this
host having been cODsecrated previous
ly, or pre- sanctified, gives the name Of
The Mass OF the Pre-Sanctified" to this
ceremony. After receiving communion
the prieSt almost abruptly leaves the
altar. This may remind us Of the hur-
ried departure OF the Israelites after
eating the Pasohal lamb.
The Three Hours Agony Is devotion
specially practiced on Good Friday, in
honor of the three last hours Of Christ.
The faithful mediate upon his sufferings
on the CROSS and upon his seven last
words. The devotion usually begins at
II O'Clock, the hour He was nailed to the
cross. and ends ut 3, the hour He died.
The ceremonies Of Holy Saturday
breathe joy and consolation. The affairs
of the different churches have this day q
more cheerful appearance; the resurrec.
ton is . LIBERATED and the ornaments Of
the altar are q sign of spiritual joy and
exultation at this event. The blessing
| of the new fire has deep significance
The Roman missal prescribes that the
new fire be struck from flint, which sig
| nifies Christ, the spiritual rock. The
| candles OF the church are from this fire
lighted, to exhibit the progress through
the world OF that fire Christ came to
cast upon the earth.
The Paschsl candle is blessed and set
up on Holy Saturday, and is the first
symbol placed before us on that day, of
our Saviour risen from the grave. The
five grains of incense which are insert
ed represent the five wounds of Christ,
and the sweet spices" which embalmed
His body. This candle ia lighted during
the time OF the High mass on Sundays
and festivals in Paschal time, to remind
the devout OF the several appearances of
Christ to His disciples
Incident TO Holy week. in the midst of
which now We are In, is the interesting
and beautiful Office which ia chanted in
Catholic churches on Wednesdays,
Thursdays and Fridays OF the week
called "Tenebr8." 1t was formerly
celebrated in the night time, to remind
the people that the Redeemer WAS taken
prisoner in the darkness. The organ ac-
companies the solemn chant OF the La
mentation Of Jeremiah, In which the
prophet bewails the sins that brought
on the destruction Of Jerusalem. The
office is an impressive ceremony, mark
ing the sadness and desOlatiOn Of souls
sOrrOwing with their Lord in his suffer-
ings. At the Office Of the Tenebr9 if
teen lighted candles in the form of q
pyramid are placed on the Epistle side
Of the sanctuary, and these with the six
large candles on the altar, signify the
light Of the faith preached by the proph.
cts and Jesus Christ. These candles are
extiDguished, one at time. at diff
ferent parts of the ceremony, to remind
the congregation OF how the prophets
who had given testimony of Christ were
prosecuted and sometimes put to death
The Blessed Trinity ia represented in
this triangular candlestick, and the can
die at the point Of the pyramid repre-
sents Christ himself. This last candle is
not extiDguished, but only hidden for q
time behind or under the altar to denote
the burial Of Christ, and afterwards
brought out again, still lighted, to sig.
nifty the resurrection. The darkness OF
the sanctuary typifies the darkness that
pervsded the earth at the death OF the
Redeemer. The noise made with
wooden clappers at the end OF the Office
represents the confusion Of nature, the
earthquake and the rending OF the veil
OF the temple at the death. Wooden
olappers irstead OF bells are used to
move the people to sorrow. Bells are
symbols OF joy, and only on Saturday
are they rung, because the resurrection
lie sOlemnized in the ceremonies of that
day. On Friday no bells will be rung.