The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-10-30
|EuGIOUS CER[MONALS.
hose That Arc In Most Favor on
Holidays In Far Away
Chill. s
tow They Celebrate the Birth OF
the Savior on Christ
mas Eve.

&$S@& e@85EE5 E| @ %AE@5a @494&
mas I'VE.
observance Of PALM Sunday aud ssnanA
santa = seif-Inficted Punish-
ments Of the Dsvout.
SANTIAGO DE Chill, Sept. l6.-Special Cor
esp,ondsnce OF the Chicago Inter Ocean.--
Bsfors starting ON our p~erilous journey
Trough tho Andes / want to give you n
strospectivs glimpse Of some queer things
b b seen in Chilli. Let NJ begin with
christmas, when every city, town and rural
istriot ID In wild commotion. All the
hurshes are profussly decorated and ablAzs
nth candles, and in each are stalls, con-
mining cattle, donkeys, goats, and doves
mostly made of wax or wood, though some
re real flesh and blood), arranged to rep
sssat an oriental stable. In the midst OF
hose ID : wax doll, dressed to psrsonats the
sw-born Savior, and a life-sizo figure Of
ae holy virgin, surrounded with glory.
before these images Immense audiences
low In silent worship until mignight. Just
! clocks are striking the hour bells begin
D chatter j~oyfully, and = priest steps for
Eard and declares: snow the man Jesus ID
Eorn, from the holy and blessed Mary, q
erpstual virgin, who by her piety and
kurity Of life has brought glory to herself
nd tho world, emitting her to be adorsd
" the sons Of men forever and over"
No sooner 10 the announcement made
han the ~death-like stiffness that before
reyailsd gives place TO a din of disoordant
discs. Numbers OF young man and boys
ere previously been appointed to blow
pom horns, play upon ffes, flutes, accord
ons, mouth-organs and guitars, to whistle
nd halloo at the top of their voices; and
ach acts we'll his part, 80 far as noise is
oncsrnsd. In the church that we attended
hst Christmas evo. besides the horns and
|uRles. committees Of boys had beeen ap-
|ointed to bray like donksys, below like
attic. bleat like sheep, neigh like horses,
nd crow like roosters-nll supposed to rep
sssnt the joy that was shown by animals
han Christ was born In Bethlehem 81
udsa. After the din has somewhat sub
ided the people crowd around to kiss the
kaxen infant, to burr incense. and to offer
lifts OF money, while the boys rush into
be streets to toot their horns and continue
heir braying, neighing. blenting and crow
ng until daylight.
Palm Sunday (early in April) and the
realty observed in all Catholic countries-
especially honored in Chill. The day
Iefore Palm Sunday the streets are flled
nth men, women and children. selling
caves of the cocoa-palm; and it il plain to
. seen that many Of these vendors have
(ome long distances with their donkey
Dads of leaves, for their shy and timid
md the dust upon their sandaled feet tells
t the hot deserts beyond 1quiqui and Alta
anna, Some Of the great leaves are ten,
wslve, even fourteen feet long, all are
praidsd in many quaint devices. and most
# thom are gaily decorated with ribbons.
hurch dedicated to Our Lady Of Carmen
id found+it packed with kneeling people.
While dense crowds Of those who had
allied to force an entrance blocked the
loors and suraed around the enclosure
There were prayers intoned by tho priestl
music of waltzes and polkas, and splen.
hid music. too-a waving of palms like q
crest swept by a mighty wind; but w
eould not help observing that there wa
little sign of real devotion and no evidence
hat the worshipers bore in mind the events
bf that far-of day whose anniversary they
we're celebrating. By and by a priest en-
cred the church, preceded by three bare.
bell, whersupon all the congregation not al
eady on their knees fell to the floor with
me accord, and the murmur Of a Thousand
koices united in prayer was like the sound
bf the sea upon a rock-bound coast. Pres
bntly a brass band arrived from the bar
Eacks and the crowd slowly fell into line,
With several priests at the head, who bort
-u~.A L~oL :, - %ho Pih1AA 0r1 n m n rn n
Pent palm leaf, gilded and crowned, while
bows with lighted candles and incense
brought up the rear. These, marching
through the streets to the sound of music
we're soon joined by u procession from
he church Of La Meroed; then by one
rom San Francisco; and later by another
rom the Recoleta. 1t was a much moro
l,gnifed and imposing pageant than sew.
bral Palm Sunday PROFESSIONS l have wit
asssed in Mexico, and entirely devoid of
he ludicrous features that distinguish oul
1earer ''sister republic" .l.~
On Palm Sunday night every church in
Chilli is brilliantly illuminated and some OF
he ceremonies are extremely solemn. VIZ
ooked into a number of s~arctuaries and
Jaw in each-in front Of the high altar
hmid thousands OF burning candles, . life.
Eize figure, carved in wood, of Christ
pound upon the cross, painted to show Ill
he horrors OF his painful death--an OK
>resGl0n OF unutterable agony upon the
ifsless face, eyes startil Z from tbsil
sooketS, blood streaming from the cruel
pear wound. the thorn-crowneu forehead,
he sconrgs-iacerated back, and tbs
purple, fostering marks Of spikes on
he hands and feet. A guard was sta
toned on either side of the image, who
bried out at intervals, Es tercera bora, ut
8 the third hour" The priests ana at
endants were all robed in black, people
bame in mourning garments, and churches
md affairs were stripped of all their Rdorn-
nents and draped in the color Of woe.
One foot of the CORY figure was usually re-
moved from the cross and carefully placed
byer an open box. People came and went
n throngs, crowdinR around the image,
kissing it's foot. and depositinR money in
he box bensath-many of the women with
streaming eyes and the men beating their
breasts with penitontial ~fsrvor; and mean
while the priests recitsd prayers for all con-
iitions, ranks and classes OF the true
bhurch, az we'll az for "heretics, heathens,
and Jews" in the order named.
II was a beautiful moonlight night. and
he streets were filled with multitudes, all
nournfully atti ed in black, this women
with black mantas drawn tightly over their
heads, standing in groups, repeating theft
prayerz aloud, or going from church To
ehurch. Many continued the weary march
I'LL morning, for it is considered that the
greater the number of these estancias. ~
kha viaita ura cnllAd. the Ureatar On0sf