The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1890-05-17
I HE HOLY LAND.
Some Notes on Local Religious
Practices. #

~ 80 - I I 3 T i
Dihicult to Give an Absolute and De-
the Various Churches and Holy Places
a Pilgrim Would Visit.
The Marquis of Butte, writing of Pill
grimages to the Holy Land. says:
What understand to be wanted are
some. notes upon the local religious
practices usual at the Holy Places, and
any recommendations which may have
occurred to ME from experience. AS re-
CARDS the former, it is difficult to give
an absolute and detailed set Of rules,
because the customs of the different
communities, and even Of individuals,
vary good deal. can only mention
what have been accustomed to see and
to do. It is very difficult to get over
the feeling of novelty and to realize
such things as: This is Calvary; This is
the Holy Sepulchre; This is the Mount
of Olives. You can only get over 1t
after two or three days, and by pro-
longed prayer at the sacred spots Pill
grims at Jerusalem generally communi :
cate every day, or ut least five or six
times week. Even if the pilgrim does
not walk the whole way to Jerusalem,
it is usual to alight before coming in
sight of the Holy City. Upon seeing
it, it is the custom to kneel down, kiss
the ground, and thank God for having
lived so long; then take one stone and
set it upon another, then rise and con-
gratulate one another The pilgrim
10 III -
threshold and side-posts of the gate
there is no rule as to whether to pro-
coed at once to the Holy Supuchre or
not. There is no kind of difficulty or
surprise caused by any one kneeling or
praying in the streets, prostrating
themselves and kissing the ground,
walking barefoot, or any other extern al
acts of devotion.
Note that it is usual to avoid, as far
as possible, going otherwise than on
foot within the. Holy City, OR upon the
road between Jerusalem and Bethlehem.
Before entering the Church of the Holy
Sepulchre the pilgrim should kneel
down and invoke st. Mary of Egypt,
who was repelled from this door by
angels. The small chapel belonging to
the Greeks underneath that of the Seven
Dolours is dedicated to st. Mary of
Egypt. It is common also to invoke the
martys who were burnt alive on this
pavement. The pilgrim should kiss,
kneeling, the threshold and door-posts,
and then advance upon his knees to the
Stone of Unction, kiss it, and remain
for SOME time in prayer. lse may then
walk to the Rotunda and kneel again
before the flight Of steps leading up
into the Sepulchre: is then better not
to rise from the knees again, except for
some particular purpose, at least until
after leaving the Angel Chapel in COM
ing out Care will be taken to kiss the
threshold and door-posts of both tt,
inner and the outer door, and the fray
ment of the stone which was rolled
away, and which is in the middle CT the
Angel Chapel. Some persons also rise
for an instant in order to kiss the cross
engraved over the inner door. It is AZ
invariable rule not to turn the bao
upon the Sepulchere, but to crawl back
wards from it, both from the inner and
the outer door. One Of the schis,natic
monks of st. Constantine's sometimes
waits beside the Sepulchre to cleanse
the slab from tears and spittle with
rose-water, which he holds in a silver
bottle, and he sometimes will offer to
sprinkle the rose-water upon the hands
of worshippers. This is civility
which ought to be accepted as such. I
once knew Frenchwoman who refused
it, under the mpression that it was
holy water blessed by schismatic.
Remember that it is the invariable rule
in passing before the Holy Sepulchre to
genuaect to it, just as is done to the
Tabernacle. The pilgrim may next visit
Calvary. ascending by either of the
stairs. 1t is better to approach it on the
knees, at least from the middle of the
chapel, and not to turn the back upon
it, and it is also the universal custom
invariably to genuaect when passing
the place where the Cross stood.
A story goes alb out in Latin circles to
the effect that the Greeks hewed out the
actual piece of rock in which the Cross
was erected, and that it was afterwards
lost at sea, but 1 regard this story with
great suspicion. Calvary and the Holy
Sepulchre are the only two shrines of
primary Importance contained in the
church. The Grotto Of the Invention
is, of course, of inferior interest. The
relic of the Column of the Flagellation,
if genuine, is not in its place. regard
the legend of the Prison as very dubious
indeed, and I venerate the Stone of
Unction chiefly on account of the num-
Der of holy persons who have prayed
and wept over it. All the other affairs,
etc., are mere memorials. There is
Compline and procession every day at
four. Translated the professional into
English. 1t contains good deal of
local matter, including list of the
Plenary Indulgences. should be glad
if pilgrims would ask for it, as / have
been informed that, in order to treat
the Holy Places rs exclusively French,
pilgrims have sometimes been allowed
nothing but French translations. The
rights of the different communities as
to occupying the shrines are very strictly
regulated, and the hours are arranged
among the sacristans SO as to avoid any
-, r,b;1o &hora 10 o.rro..