The morning call., 1890-04-03
HOLY THURSDAY.
e
Services to Be Held in the cathe-
dral and Other Churches.
Pcntihcli MISS Washing of the Feet-ofhce
I. 7: 8. Of Tenebr@ -sermOn on the Holy
Z. ri -. !. Eucharist.
Eucharist.

=. .: -. -
The Thursday before Easter has, since
the earliest ages of Christianity, been OBJ
served: by the Catholic Church as the ami
versary of the: day on which Christ insti-
tuled the sacrament of the Eucharist. .Ac-
:: cordingfy, despite the fact that on the fol-
lowing day the church intends to comment
!. crate the mournful circumstances surround
ing the death Of her founder, the observ-
ance of Holy Thursday has about 1t a GER
tain air of festiyity and rejoicing.
- In the first ages of the church the pre-
4: vailing custom was to celebrate the day by
:: a; solemn liturgy, and communion in the
2 evening at the hour in which Christ par
took CT the Paschal feast with his apostles.
-" Among other church historians st. Cyprian
states, that in the church of Africa it was
= customary for the preate who offciated at
this solemn service to remain fasting from
the preceding night while Zozomen says
that for time the church of Alexandria
!. celebrated at the same hour, the officiant
= having broken his fast The discipline of
fasting was afterward re-enforced, how
ever in favor Of the ancient custom.
L. HOLY. THURSDAY, AS NOW OBS ERvED.
. 1The Roman missal and brepiary contain
elaborate directions for the celebration of
=|: Holy thursday, but the most interesting
portion of the days services is the mass,
+ with'its attendant ceremonies. AS on this
5 day the holy sacrament is believed to have
been Instituted, the offices are replete with
:: expressions of thanks giving and praise
~ During themasS white yeStments are worn
:. by the clergy, and the altar at which the
celebration takes place IS decorated with as
> much elegance and beauty as possible
: " hen, as in the cathedral in this city,
Bishop OF Archbishop is celebrant the
:. services are of unusual interest. The Off
Z eating. pTetate. vests himself in the costly
- insignia OF his exalted office, and COM
meneeS the celebration of solemn pom
tlhcal mass in the usual manner After
the preliminary applications the officiant
aScendS the throne, and, having read the
intreit returns To the altar and ihtones the
words Gloria in aeXcelsiS, Deo." which
are immediately taken up by the choir the
3 bells being rung until the ancient hymn is
g finished. The origin of this custom is hard
to find In the days of Pope Nicholas [ it
was mere or less general, and in course of
time became one of the rubreal observ-
Rnces of the day.
A NOTE OF SADNESS.
! The choristeTs. accompanied when pos
slble by an organ and orchestra, sing their
pest and Notwithstanding the 'Glora," and
the contrast is striking when at its close
the ceebrant turns to salute the peo-
Die, and in place of the usual burst Of har-
~mGny and Seng is answered by n few mourn
tul long-drawn notes without accempani-
meut. The organ and instruments are
stilled, and the service proceeds without
O. their aid, the music taking a sadder tone
and the tinkling altar-bell being replaced
by Understanding wooden clapper The
mass continues until Just before the "Pater
NOster' the Archbishop washes his hands
ana seats himself upon throne facing the
altar. Twelve priests, seven deacOns, sew
en- subdeaeoBs and other attendants stand
=. at either side, while the archdcacon. being
hap ci,
:: slnhrmorum" lthe oil fer the sick. a sub
:: deacon, attended by two acolytes. goes to
= the. sacristy 10 fetch the un5lessed oil,
+ which ISIS olemnly blessed by the prelate.
&. r. a DOUBLE CONSIDERATION.
r =. Having blessed the oil the Archbishop
again washes his hands and proceeds with
r.: the mass. On arriving at the communion
the usual kiss of peace is not given, the
= omission being Intended to express detesta-
Z. ton at the periidy of the traitor Judas
Two. large hosts are consecrated, one of
when the celebTant consumes, while the
otheris reserved in a gold ehaliee for the
liturgy OF Good Friday, during which there
is no conservation. After the communion
Z: the Archbishop again seats himself on the
< throne and c0nSecrateS the holy ehrisln and
2: the oil used in baptism. the attendant cere-
: monies ;pelng interesting in the extreme.
-. The oil and balsam are carried in Drocns
= sion to the sacristy, and after being conse-
Grated are saluted by all the clergy, each of
-. whom kisses the lips of the silver vase in
Which they are kept. The mass then I'm
1Shes IN the usual form.
THE REPOSITORY.
As soon as the mass Is over a procession ia
formed, and the reserved host is carried by
the prelate under a richly embroidered can
opy to an altar or chapel in the church.
where 1t IS kept surrounded with flowers
and lights until the following day The
tabernacle or repository in which the host
Is kept is sometimes called the "sepulcher."
from mistaken idea on the part of some
devout persons that by this practice the
church means TO commemorate Christ's en-
tombment; but this is an error, as the
burial OF the Savior did not take place until
Friday evening. The repository is, as its
name implies, only place where the host
istempOrarliy kept. The adornments which
beautlfy It year by year have nothing in
common with funeral trappings, and are, in
matter OF TACT more expressions Of love and
devotion to the holy eucharist, without any
death.
AN APOSTOLIC RITE.
In cathedrals and monastic churches the
Office OF "mandatum," or washing of the
feet, is feature of Holy Thursday. During
TINS service the pIelate or superior, kneel-
ing, washes the feet of twelve persons In
different parts of the world different Gus
: toms prevail as to the foot-wa:hed ones. In
:, some places priests are selected. in others
:: beggars or poor persons, in others persons
-: VINO nave rendered especial service to the
- church, while in the United States acolytes
:: are usually chosen. The prelate, attended
-. by d deacon and sub-deacon, washes and
i. wipes sometimes both feet and sometimes
only the right, and when dried imprints
: kiss upon the,instep. The boys upon whom
This: honor is conferred are always in
i stFpeted beforehand to see to it that this
=: washing shall be purely symbolic and not
:: in any sense physically necessary. The
:. rite commemprates Christ's washing the
.1eet Of his apostles on tile night before his
:? -crucitfxIon,: and when properly carried out
Is by ne'Ileahs lacking In infpressiyeness.
IN the Cathedral in this city services to-
,: day Will be. held as follows: PontificaI
:: mass and Blessing of the holy oils. 10
=. O'Clock in the morning; washing of the
feet 8 O'Clock in the afternoon; office of
Ienebra, O'Clock in the afternoon; SER
= mon'on the hely eucharist, 1886 o'clock in
- the evening, In the other churches similar
services VIII take place as ANNOUNCED by
6: the.reetors Of;the various parishes.