Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-03-31
LAST WEEK OF LENT.
The Solemn and Sad Ceremonies to be
Held in the Catholic Churches,
TO CLOSE WITH GREAT REJOICING.
A Passion Sermon Friday Evening by a
Passionist Priest.
THE UTHER EXERCISES OF THE WEEK

Palm Sunday was celebrated in all the
Catholic churches throughout the two cities
yesterday. Branches of palm were distrib-
uted to the people in recognition OF the
event. The day is feast in memory and
honor of the triumphant entry of Christ into
Jerusalem, and is SO called because of the
palm branches which the Hebrew children
strewed under His feet.
Yesterday was also the beginning of Holy
Week. The latter is the period in which
the church commemorates Christ's death and
burial, and which is spoken of by ancient
writers as the great, the holy week, the
week of the holy passion, etc. 1t dates
from apostolic times, and is distinguished
from the rest of Lent by the extreme strict
ness of the fast.
The Tenebre will be sung at the st.
Paul's Cathedral on Wednesday evening.
The lessons will be taken from the Lamenta-
tlons of Jeremiah. At the beginning of the
office 13 lighted candles will be placed on
triangular candelabrum.
THE CANDLES Ex TINGUIsHED.
At the end of each Psalm, one is put out,
till only single candle is left lighted at the
top of the triangle. During the ringing of
the benedictus, the candles on the high altar
are extinguished, while at the ant1phon the
single candle left alight is hidden at the
epistle corner of the altar, to be brought out
again at the end of the Office. The detention
of light signifies the growing darkness of the
time when Christ, the light of the world,
was taken. The last candle is hidden to sig
nifty that death could not really obtain do
minion over Christ. The clapping made at
the end of the Office is said to symbolic the
confusion subsequent on Christ's death.
On Holy Thursday one mass only can be
said. 1t is celebrated in white vestments,
because of the institution of the Eucharist,
which is joyfully commemorated. The
bells which ring at the Gloria do not sound
again till the Gloria in the mass OF Holy
Saturday, and the wooden clapper is used
instead. The celebrant consecrates an ad-
ditional host, which is placed in chalice
and borne in procession after the mass to
place prepared for it. This is called the
sepulchre and will be beautifully decked
with flowers and lights. Afterward the
altars will be stripped of the vestments in
recognition of the stripping of Christ. In
st. Peters Church in Rome the chief altar
is then washed with wine. In this country
this part of the ceremony is omitted.
WASHING THE FEET.
Lie SLElppluS Ol tQe alLdTS Will De 1Ol-
lowed by the washing of the feet. In very
few churches in this country is this cere-
mony observed. In Rome the Pope washes
the feet of II poor pilgrims. The blessing
of the holy oils to be used during the year
takes place on this day. Bishop Phelan
will perform this ceremony, assisted by
about dozen priests. The bishop will
breathe three times on the oils, meaning
that the power of the Holy Spirit is about
to descend upon the oils.
On Good Friday the church eommemor-
ates the passion Of Christ, and it is the most
sad and solemn event of the week. The
clergymsn will be dressed in black vest
ments, and will PROSTATE themselves before
the stripped altar. At the conclusion OF
prayers for all men the cross, which has up
until this time been covered with black, is
exposed to view and kissed by the clergy
and people. The improperia are then sung.
The blessed sacrament is borne in
procession from the chapel, where
it was placed the day before,
while the choir sings the hymn, "Vexiela
Regus." The priest places the host in the
altar, the candles of which are now lighted,
the sacrament is elevated while the wooden
clapper is sounded.
HOLY SATURDAY EXPLAINED.
On Holy Saturday the ceremonies begin
in the morning with the blessing of the new
fire struck from the flint. From this fire a
candle with three stems placed on a reed is
lighted and carried up through the church.
The blessings of the II prophecies then fol-
low. After they have been read, the priests
go in procession to the font. The water in
the font is scattered toward the four
quarters of the world. to indicate the
CatholicitY of the church and the
worldwide efficacy of her sacraments.
On the way back from the font the litanies
of the saints are begun. They are continued
while the ministers lie PROSTATE before the
altar, and as they end the altar is decorated
with flowers and the mass is begun with
white yestments. AT the Gloria the organ
sounds, the bells are rung and the joyful
strains of the alleluia peal forth after the
epistle.
Lent will end with Easter Sunday. This
day is feast in honor of the Saviour's
resurrection or rising from the dead on the
third day. 1t is called Easter from Oriens,
which signifies East or Rising, which is one
of the titles of Jesus Christ. At the Cathe-
dral solemn pontifciaI high mass will be
celebrated by Bishop Phelan. Owing to the
illness of Director Knake the musical pro-
gramme will probably not be anything un-
usual. The Cathedral Band will be present
and will render sacred music.
On Friday evening passion sermon will
be preached by priest from the Passionist
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