Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1889-04-12

It's Obserwanoe IN the Cnfho1fa ana
FpIaeopAl ChurchAa.

Us ODser4anes "a tne Catholic and
Episcopal Churches.
Next week i Hsly WEEK. and win BE-
1asfs I'D ~ tie Cotholic Episcopal and
Lusaetan Churches vito great solemni-
", aud each day Is devoted 10 some par
ticulaF form OF worship and agia,d fast
VIII be observed. In the Catholic Church.
meat - only allowed at one meal on Men
DAY and Tuesday, after those days not It
al until Easter Sunday. The frat day Of
the week IL called Palm Sunday, being
appointed ID honor of the .trfnmnhant en-
try OF Christ into Jersuaem. when MANY
Of the Jews cut Of branches from the
trees, and strewed them in The way
through which he was TO pass III Is fn
memory Of this triumph that ID the Cafho.
lie Church, on Palm Sunday, the palms
are blessed. distributed 10 the faithful and
carried by them ia solem procession.
Tney held them In their hands while the
history of tue Passion Is read 10 them
from st. Matthew'S Gospel which signi
hes that they are to paFtake Of the iri-
umph Of Christ by the virtue Of his death
and passion.
In the benediction Of The palms are
mentioned the branches Of the palm
tree. olive tree and other trees, which
are made use OF in countries whsre these
trees grow, but 10 our northern countries
the defect il supplied with any sort Of
green bougbs which are called palms
They are intended to represent our Sa-.
viour's triumph over death, and the rich
ness Of bis mercies-thc palm branches
being emblems OF victory and the olive
| branches OF mercy.
Christ catered Jerusalem oa the tenth
day, that answers TO the tenth day Of the
moon, when the jews brought TO their
house the lambs that were to be killed
and eaten en- the Passover In memory OF
their deliverance from the bondage of
Egypt and their miraculous prssage over
the Red Sea; hence. ia the procession 10
the church on this day the opening OF the
door Of the Church by knocking with the
foot OF the Cross, signifies not only the
triumphant entry into Jerusalem bat also
that the gates OF the celestial jerusalem
were opened for man by Christ. the true
Pascal Lamb, dying on the Cross 70 re-
deem us-from the slavery OF sin.
In the evenings OF Wednesday,
Thursday snd Friday Of Holy Week,
In the Catholic Church, solcm Office
is performed which Is commonly called
the Tenebrae The name OF Icnebrae
is given to II from the circumstance of
exiinguishing, during the service of 1t
all, the candles which have been prepared
in the sanctuary for the ceremony.
The rites OF the Church upon these
three days declare her concern and her
troubles for the sufferings OF the Redeemer
for the sins Of man. Every expression
OF joy and festivity is laid aside. No
hymns OF divine praise are sung. No
D0minus Vobiscum Is said to ask The
blessings OF God upon the people The
Psalms and the Lessons that constitute
the office. breath anything else but signs
and LAMENTATIONS. At every other time
when prayers are offered up the people
are Invited to unite II spirit. and at the
| conclusion express their assent by the
casion, to evince still more the greatness
OF the sorrow OF the Church. the invi-
tation and the acclamation are omitted
The six candles on the altar. and the
fifteen candles placed elsewhere, all burn
ing, at the beginning Of the office, signi
~ the lights of faith preached by the
Prophets aad Jesus Christ. of which faith
the fundamental oracles OF the mystery
Of the Trinity are reprepentec by the
candles In the triangular candlestick As
each office is repeated, q candle is extin-
guished, and also those on the altar are
put out, 10 teach that the Jews were to
tally deprived Of the light of faith when
they put the Saviour 10 death. But the
fifteenth casdle is hidden fer time IN
der the altar. and is left burning, to sig.
Nifty that, Though Christ, according to his
humanity, died and was laid in the Sc
pulehre. yet he Was always alive, accord
Ing to his Divinity. BY which he raised
bis body again to life. The sanctuary Is
made dark while certain prayers are
being said, to remind the people of tie
darkness that covered the earth at bis
death, and noise Is made at the end of
the prayer, which represents the confus
the earth trembled, the rocks were spiit
asunder. the graves opened. and the veil
OF the temple was torn from the top to
the bottom. revealing the hidden light.
Holy Thursday Is celebrated In
honor Of the institution of the Eucharist,
but 1t being In Holy week. the Church is
taken up with the passion OF Christ and
ii is only partially celebrated on this day,
and another day is set apart for its celc
bratiOn with greater pomp and ceremony,
which Is knewn as Corpus CEristy. The
Rubric prescrl0es for this day two hosts
one for the mass Of the day and the other
10 be carried In solemn procession 10 q
place adorned with lights and flowers,
where 1t is kept with great spIendor for
the Office Of the next day, Good Friday
The sacrament is removed from the prin-
cipal altar. so that the devotion Of The
passion which was commenced the even
ing before at the Tenehrae. may be con
tlnued without pomp or magnificence
During the day. crowds Of the faithful
may be seen going 10 the churches to viss
il The Saviour in the sacrament
Good Friday cOmmtmprates tie death
OF Christ on the cross. No host Is con-
secTaled on this day. The faithful are
Instructed In the mysteries Of the day aud
the Priests pray for all sorts Of persons
Schismatics. Heritica, Jews and PaQ0ns--
none are excluded from The SURFACES q
the Church on this day. when Jesus pray
ed Tor his prosecutors. and offered his