St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-03-31
BLESSING The Oils.
Interesting Observance Of
Holy Thursday in the Cath
Ollie Churches.
A Day Which Comm emopates
the Institution Of the
Sacrament. Il
Mass and Procession of the
Clergy to the Altar OF
RepoSe.
The Altar Stripped and All
Bells flushed Until East
epn Morn.

Yesterday in church parlance was
Holy Thursday or Maundy Thursday,
the day which commentaries the insti-
tuition of the sacrament and or which
the oils are blessed. This ceremony
was performed by Archbishop Ireland
at the cathedral in the presence of the
usual large Catholic congregations.
While holy week is period of great
and deep mourning, Holy Thursday is
the one day which has signs of joy.
1t is the day of the last supper of our
dear Lord-the day on which He lnsti-
tuted the most holy sacrament of the
eucharist; and. in honor of that great
mystery the church lays aside her
mourning, at least during the celebra-
ton of the holy mass. and bids us deck
the altar with our richest ornaments
and wear veStments of white, the color
denoting JOY and gladness. The last
supper took place on the first day of the
AZymeS, or the Feast of the Unleavened
Bread, and it is for that reason that
unleavened is bread for consecra-
ton i'll holy mass. Again, to show
forth the unity and greatness of
this supper, the church allows
OH this day only one mass to be offered
In each church, at which the clergy and
congregation assist and receive Holy
Communion, the priests wearing stoles,
the token of their priesthood. This
brings before us in a forclble way the
scene in the upper chamber in Jeru-
salem, where our Lord alone cOnse-
Grated and then gave Holy Communion
to those present.
Last of the Bells.
The service of the day is divided into
three distinct parts: the mass, the pro-
ceSsion to the altar of repose and the
stripping of the affairs. Amid the tri-
umph OF this great feast web of sor-
row is interviewer to show that our Joy
is not lasting, for we have not forgotten
the passion of Jesus Christ The cele-
brant intones the Gloria in Excelsis.
and the bells ring out iOyOuSly in an
swer to the organs peals; but, after
that, both bells and organ are silent
until Holy Saturday, to show the sorrow
of the whole world at our SaviOr's'
death. The Collects recall to us Judas
and the good thief; both are guilty, but
one is Dardoned. The kiss of peace is
omitted to show our horror of the
treacherouS kiss of Judas in the garden
Oh this night. >.
Solemn Procession.
AS. on Good Friday, the church sus-.
ponds the offering OF the holy sacrifice
of the mass, TO commemorate in this
solemn way the sacrifice that was Of
fered on that day on Calvary, the priest
consecrates two hosts OIL Holy Thursday
during the mass. One of these he re-
ceives i'll Holy Communion; the other
he reverently places i'll chalice, to be
consumed on Good Friday. The Blessed
Sacrament could not be observed with
fitting respect at the High altar on ac-
count of the mOurnful ceremonies of
this holy time, and consequently a
chapel or altar, apart from the High
altar, is prepared and adorned with rich
hangings, lights and flowers; here our
Blessed Lord remains until Good Friday.
When the mass is finished the choir
and clergy go in procession to this
chapel of repOSe. After the cross
bearer and acolytes come the choir and
clergy, singing the Pange Lingua, fol-
lowed by the celebrant and sacred min
listers under the canopy. The priest
does not carry the monStrance, as in
other professions, but the chalice, con-
tanning the blessed sacrament, covered
with veil. When he arrives at the
altar of repuSe he places it in the taber-
nacle or urn, where it will remain until
tOmorrOw'S service. Until then Jesus
will not be left alone; by day and night
loving souls will keep watch there in
humble alteration, making amends for
the seorn and insults which Jesus suf-
fered for our sins. More especially Will
they be present during the silent
watches Of the night, for last night WAS
the night when He suffered the agony
ill the garden of Gethsemane and was
betrayed by Judas and delivered into
the hands of His enemies.
Stripping the Altar.
The final ceremony is the stripping of
the affairs. The procession then leaves
the altar OF repoSe. ministers go into
the SacrlSty, and the other clergy and
choir 20 to the sanctuary to recite YES
peers, which are said, not sung. At the
end of the vesperS the priests enter the
sanctuary to strip the altar, as Jesus
was stripped of HIS garments before the
crucIfiXiOn. The ornaments and flowers
that were there to denote the joyful
commemOration of the institution of the
blessed sacrament are taken away, and
the very altar cloths stripped off. be-
cause the daily sacrifice is suspended in
TOKEN Oh our grief. nef nave parted
my garments among them, and upon my
vesture they have cast lOts.'' The holy
water is removed from the porch, and
none is put there until after the mass
on Holy Saturday. This closes tine cere-
monies of the day.
Today is Good Friday, the saddest,
and one of the most sacred days in the
Christian calendar. This day COM
memOrates the agony of Christ on the
crucifiX, and the whole Christian world
is in mourning. Most of the churches
commemorate the day, but the services
in the Catholic and EpiscOpalian edifices
are very solemn and impressive. No
sound of bell or organ is heard now un-
til the glad peals ring out on Easter
morn, announcing to the world that the.
plan IF redemption is completed by the
glorious resurrection.
li
Saturdays, the State Savings Bank,
Germania Life Bd'g, 4th and Mimi. strs,