The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-03-28
TIE CLOSE OF LENT.
To-day'E Services Marx the End Of the
Great Religious Fast

Great Religious Fast
To-day is Holy Saturday. the last day of
Holy Week, and one which is observed
with as intensely interesting ceremonies as
any in the Lenten period.
From the epistle Of Pope Innocent it is
learned that in his time no mass was said
by the Roman Catholic clergy during the
day hours Of Holy Saturday.
The Office began at the ninth hour, that is
at 8 O'Clock D. H., the faithful kept vigil IN
the church and the mass celebrated at mid
night belonged rather TO the morning OF
Easter Sunday than to Holy Saturday.
THIS state Of things lasted until late in
the middle ages Hugo Of st. Victor, who
died in 1l4O. mentions the custom then
creeping in of nticipating the vigil Office
but the old mode Of observance Is spoken Of
as still subsisting IN some churches BY
Durandus, no lived in 1880, aud Thomas
Waldensis In l400.
Though the time is changed the words Of
the Office remain as they were This ex-
plains the joyous character of the mass, the
fact that the history Of the resurrection is
sung in the gospel, and the allusion TO the
night time in the preface, the ''communi-
centesn and the majestic language Of the
collect, 20, God, who didst illumine this
most holy night with the glory of the Lords
resurre ction."
At present the ceremonies begin early in
the morning with the blessing OF the new
fire struck from the flint. This blessing was
unknown at Rome in the time OF Pope
Zacharias, who reigued in Isl, though it Is
recognized about a century later by Leo
~ Apparently it was the custom in some
churches daily to bless the fire struck for
the kindling Of the lamps. and about the
year HOO this benediction was reserved
exclusively for Holy Saturday. when the
fire is AN appropriate image Of the Light of
light rising again like "the sun in his
strength
From this fire candle with three stems.
and placed on reed, is lighted, and car
ried I'D the church by deacon, who three
times chants the words, "Lumen Christi
The same symbolism reappears in the Pas
chal candle, which is blessed by the deacon,
who fixes in it five grains OF blessed incense,
10 memory Of the five wounds of Christ,
and the precious spices with which he was
Amounted in the tomb, and after ard lights
it from the candle in the reed. The use of
the Paschal candle goes back very far-as
far, at least, IS the time Of Zosimus, who
was made pope in 417-and the sublime
words OF the "Exultet, /" triumphant hymn
OF praise which the deacon sings in the act
OF blessing the candle, can scarcely be less
ancient. The great critic, Msrtene, attrib-
utes it to st. Augustine.
The blessing of the candle is followed by
the twelve prophecies, and after they have
been read the priests go in procession to
bless the font. The water in the font Is
scattered toward the four quarters Of the
world to indicate the cathollcity of the
church and the worldwide efficacy of her
sacraments; the priest brea; hes on the
water in the form of cross, and plunges the
paschal candle three times into the water for
the spirit of God to hallow it and the power
of Christ to descend upon 1t, and lastly
few drops of the oil of Catechumens and
Of the chrism are poured in, in order, says
Gave ntees, to signify the union of Christ
our anoin;ed King, with his people.
On the way back from the font the lita~
MES of the saints are begun and continued
as the priests lie PROSTATE before the altar.
At the end Of these ceremonies the altar is
decked with flowers and the mass is begun
in white vestments. At the GLORIA" the
organ sounds, bells are rung and the joyful
strains Of the "Alleluian peal forth after
the epistle. The vespers Of the day are in
serted in the mass after the communion.
Good Friday was celebrated at the cathe-
dral at the morning services in the manner
set forth by the MORNING NEWS yesterday
morning. The services did not conclude
until after IL O'Clock, and every seat in the
ediflce was occupied. Many stood in the
At 8 o'clock in the afternoon an equally
large congregation filled the big church.
Bishop Becker, assisted by Vicar General
Cafferty and Fathers Mccarthy and Hen
messy, celebrated the way of the cross
At St Patricks and the Sacred Heart the
same ceremonies occurred, and each church
was filed to overlooking.
There was hardly standing room In the
Cathedral last night at the concluding
services of the Tenebre. Bishop Becker
preached an eloquent sermon on the cruel
fixion of Christ, and drew vivid word pict-
ureS Of the scenes that occurred around the
cross on Calvary over eighteen hundred
years ago. At the conclusion of the services
the crucifix was placed at the altar to be
kissed, or adored, as it is termed, by the
congregation.
Christ Episcopal church held large con-
gregation at las5 nights services and there
was also large congregation at ST. Johns
yesterday morning and at the services at
st. Matthew'S
AT the Evangelical Lutheran church yes
terday morning the church was filed, and
Rev, DR.. Bowman preached an eloquent
sermon.