The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-03-26
HOLY THURSDAY SERVICES.
The Day TO Be Celebrated With Great
Fonp at the Cathsd

/ The Day TO Be Celebrated With Great
Fonp at the Cethsdral.
: To-day is Holy Thursday, a day which is
celebrated with great pomp by the Roman
Catholic church. Only one mass can be
said in the same church on Holy Thursday,
and that mass must be public one. Il is
celebrated in white Yes.ments, because the
Institution of the Eucharist is joytully CON-
memorated, but at the same time there are
certain signs Of mourning prOpsr to Holy
Week
The bells which ring at the "Gloria" do
not sound again till the "Glorian in the
mass of Holy Saturday, and the church re-
turns to her ancient use Of summoning the
faithful or arousing their attention by the
sounding Of the wooden clapper Nor is
the embrace of peace given. ne celebrsnt
consecrates an additional hest, which is
placed in a chalice and borne in procession
after tho mass to place prepared for ii.
In ancient times this procession occurred
daily, for there was no tabernacle over the
altar for reserving the particles which
remained over after the communion of tie
faithful Medieval writers connect the
procession with the blessed sacrament on
Holy Thursday, with Christs journey to
the Mount Of Olives after the last supper.
The "Pange Linguan is sung during the
procession, and the place to which the sac
rament is removed-often called the sepul-
chre, but properly the altar Of repose-is
decked with flowers and lights.
Afterwards the affairs are stripped. This
used to be done. according to Vert in his
explanation of the ceremonies of the mass
every day after tho celebration of the sacri-
flee, and Is retained on Holy Thursday to
remind the christians of the way in which
Christ was stripped of his garments. In
St. Peters the chief altar is washed with
wine. and q similar custom prevails among
the Dominicans and C6rmelites and in some
churches Of France and Germany.
The stripping OF the affairs is followed by
the washing of the feet, called "Mandatum
Novum," from the words of the first
antiphon sung during the ceremony
"Mandatum Novum," etc, "A new COM
mandment give unto you, that you love
one another Whence the English word
"Maundy Thursday"
Since the seventh century the holy oils
formerly consecrated at any time have been
blessed by the bishop in the mass Of this
day. The bishop and priests breathe three
times upon the oil of the catchumens and
the chrism, meaning by this action that the
power OF the Holy Spirit is to descend on
the oils; and after the conservation is COM
the words Hail, holy OIL oil: Gaii I
holy chrism." Another rite proper to
Holy Thursday, now passed into disuse, was
the reconciliation OF penitents. This recon
cilietion on Holy Thursday is mentioned by
Pope Innocent l. and st. Jerome. The mass
now celebrated is one out of three which
used to be said, the other two being for the
conservation of the chrism aud the recon
ciliation of the penitents.
BISHOP Becker, assisted by all the priests
IN the city, will celebrate the mass aud
carry out all the ceremonies incident thereto
at the cathedral this morning at o'clock.
The day will also be observed in the Epis-
copal churches. The usual daily services
viii be held in ST. Johns, Christ and st.
churches, and tonight a united
service will be held in Christ church.