Telegram-herald., 1890-12-27
THE SLAY CHRISTMAS
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trs4e IN re sesSe Ia Saacl we gszNtsxs<2sA
ths word 0f coarse khere. * IL az
CasAolte c.azllaas. Dc. - Is a ctsa1ea
festival asaa - ztsA a fssE, t1e ozly
iayols fsst ef the yeay 1hs s1pOsx .
un sssasliy zeoa. snd plenr Al. bst no
Eaaat - served - a unless a os Wild duck
ex 0ss~F. b0sh u which ars regarded by
ths oecszsa astseai authoFaaos a. nsh. TIE
foreign visitor viii probably Feeeive h@lf
dozen invitations the proper thing 10
do = - ecespt the one that cones froIa
ths Landlord. ia whose hoase ons usually
dimes. aud ths fulhlllnenG II this social
duty Il generally It's o~n reward. The
oisors are strange oat agreeable, and
after the Christmas tree IN CsFinthis.
which = chiefly German. has been prop
eriy adasired, and ia all easss the neees-
sary presents have been gwen 70 the
children. and they have gene % bed,
tone u quiet satisfaction becomes the
leading note ef the evening EveTy sub
loet that could lead 70 contention Is
avoided. aud 50 one sits together tli tho
time fur the first nass. which is read at
or shortly after midnight, and which ono
may attend on not, just es one likes
IMPRESSIVE SERVICES.
The three morning masses when heard
in = village church in Austria are among
the most Impressive services of tho
ehurca, though they are, of course, en-
tlrely wanting in pomp. The choir sing
SONGS about the nativity in the national
language and IN such way that both
the words and the music correspond 10
the service at the altar. The stranger
who has learned % look upon the mass,
In spite of It's entirely classical Latin. as
one q the greatest poems Of the Chris
tan period Is az first inclined 10 resent
tho introduction Of modern hymns and
languages, bat the feTYor Of the singers
and tho way Ia which they are joined
by the congregation, similar 10 that
which many readers may have remarked
Ia the churches OF Scotland, clearly show
that tho usage IS dear 10 the heart OF the
people, though 70 us IL may seem almost
IS offensive as If the divine comedy
were publicly read with tho accompani-
,nent OF music selected from Offenhach.
Popular verse and music are always in
teresting and sometimes extremely good;
but they cannot quite supply the place
Of the Gloria ana Agnus Del, especially
for foreign admirers OF the church who
do not belong 10 It's communion. Still
the midnight mass IN an Alpine village
Is thing % see The long walk through
the snow and darkness; the friendly light
from the windows Of most houses; the
groups of furcoated worshipers whom
one overtakes or who overtake one, with
their hearty Christmas greetings; the
blaze of light on the altar. which con-
lrasts equally with tho night outside and
the other unlghted parts of the church
within, are al impressive.
~ ISTTREsTING PROCESSION.
This Christmas in a Slav village has q
purely religious character, though, as it
obliges one 70 st up late or 70 rise early,
it may serve as an excuse for longer
chat than usual and an extra glass. But
Advent is not, Is in German or Protes-
tant countries, concentrated into the
single festival In many villages on the
first evening d kind Of homely procession
is formed. and the images of the Holy
Virgin and s.. Joseph are carried TO tho
first hoIse IN the place, the inhabitants
OF which know exactly what Is going 20
happen; then, where they sing. as they
generally do IN Carni0la, q duet or
double chorus follows. The attendants
of the saints ask for n nights lodging,
those within ask who the travellers are,
and 50 gradually the whole history Of
the nativity is told in Old World verse
and music Then the doors are thrown
wide open; al who are within kneel, the
images nre borne TO the altar that has
been prepared for them. the two Choruses
join in 4 hymn OF praise, and evening
prayer begins in their presence. On the
following afternoon the two saints are
carried 70 the next house. and the scene
Is repeated. Il NAV seem to the reader
that tho whole ceremony must be child
ishly g-otesque: this is Tot the impress
sion II makes on the nOn-CathOlic but
unpTejudiced stranger. These peasants
true God after their own fashion. In
coaveut5 where children are educated
the same usage Is practiced, but there
the sacred guests are carried from cell
b cell instead os from house 20 house.
DEVOTION or TIVE KINGS.
This custom is purely Christian, an at
tempt to bring the sacred story home to
the Imagination of the people; the cere-
monies performed on tie day set apart
for devotion to the three holy kings
the wise men Of the east 5our twelfth
night are siici dy different. They bear
tho trace. not of hesthenism 50 much as
of q struggle against heathenism. The
taree appear IN fun costume the one
vvi,4 his face conscientiously BACKED
wits holy water and censers flied with
haTn5ng incense. They bless every room
IA tie house. aud SSH more carefully
'hc sails and ssaaies. and upon every
deer theT make three crosses. IA order
- keep ont Fra PoTchta. VINO Is the IN
haUorel anil uuhonorel shsde Of toe
great goddess whom heroes once w0r-
Shipped az Freva That twelfth night.
sf ttH7a 20 Nt1 '--4f" '"'f W t'. ~.'t
winter festival which was celebrated
alike by the slsvs ard the Germans.
should 20 chosen fo- these strange cere-
monies is noteworthy. though one can
rot heIp fesling a certain Fri npathy for
fre god 'sss who is thrs shut out ~ hu-
man hatitstcrs On ere v.TY day when
aer preeuce was formerly Invoked u
nav be adde1 thst the crosses ars treated
r.th .na rreat-et rre-.ers- VA xrnli