St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-03-22
0BSERvAACES OF TODAY.
HISTORY. CT HOLY THURSDAY ANl ITS
MEANING.
MASS OF THIS OCCASION.

1t Is Called Maundy Thursday
Because of the Ceremony OF
Washing the Feet-Joy and
b Thanksgiving Expressed by
Ringing Bells-White Vest.
meuts and Altar Ornaments.
/ Today the Catholic church celebrates
the high festival of Holy Thursday.
The Roman missal and breviary call
this day Feria Quinta i'll Coma Domini
that is. the Thursday OF the Lords
Supper-befng the day when our Lord,
at his last supper. instituted the sacra-
,ment of the Eucharist. 1t is called by
the French Jeudi Absolut, or Absolu-
ton Thursday, because the sentence of
abSolution was then pronounced over
the public penitents. 1t is now known
in the church as Maundy Thursday,
from the ceremony of washing the feet,
called, in the Rubric, MandaIum. which
is the first antlphon sung during the
ceremony.
The mass Oh this day differs from the
rest of the Office. That OF the holy Eu-
charist is celebrated. subject therefore,
of JOY and thanksgiving, expressed by
the ringing OF bells and the white
color of the vestments and ornaments of
the altar. Though the church is wholly
taken up during this week with the pas
sion of Christ, and for that reason has
appointed the feast of Corpus Christi as
day OF thanksgiving for the institu-
ton of that sacrament, yet she cannot
refrain from giving expression to her
JOY and gratitude on the very day when
Christ was pleased TO give so wonder
tul pledge of his love. But after the
"Glorla in Excelsis," the bells are silent
during the remainder of the day. on
Good Friday and Holy Saturday, until
the recurrence of the same angellcal
hymn OH the last mentioned day. This
is intended to honor the wonderful
silence of the Savior during his passion
and to express the astonlShment and
mourning of the church for the death of
her spouse.
The Rubric prescribeS a conservation
of two hosts, one for the sacrifice OF the
day, and the other to be carried in SOL
emn procession to place adorned with
liz Itos WuCt0 IL 10 hCpL Will SlCdb
splendor for the office of the next day.
The reason of this solemn worship of
God in the blessed sacrament is to give
the people an opportunity of returning
thanks to God for this inestimable bless
ing OH the very day itself of its institu-
ton. and this sentiment is Strikingly
evinced by them in their frequent visits
to the places where it is reserved. The
blessed sacrament is removed from the
principal altar that the devotion of the
passion, which was there commenced
the evening before at the fenebre. may
be continued without pomp or magnlfi-
canoe. The custom of visiting the
blessed sacrament OH this dayiis CON-
monty called Visiting Sepulchers, but
very improperly, and contrary TO the
Intention Of the church, which in her
Rubric ordains the honor given to it to
be expressed by lights and the richest
demonstrating very unbecoming
Sepulcher.
After the vespers, the priest, with his
ministers, diveStS the affairs OF the
church Of their coverings and other
ornaments. The Antiphon Diviserunt.
and the psalm, Deus, Deus, Meus,"
said by the priest and sung by the
l.
show that it represents the stripping Of
| our Savior of His garments, for which
1 tile soldiers cast lots. and which they
| divided among themselves. The naked
ness of the altar signifies that Chris: in
His passion lost all His beauty and
majesty, and was in manner deprived
of the glory of His divine nature.
On this day, the clergy OF some
churches meet to perform the ceremony
nf mr. 10 lGaI in fhn
Rubrlc, mandatum, or the command
ment. because it is commanded by the
example aud words of Jesus Christ. in
the gospel sung before the priest begins
TO wash the feet
Hence i'll each church the superior
washes the feet of his interiors; many
rich do the same to the poor; and kings
disdaln not to stoOp to the feet OF their
subjects. And it teaches the faithful
to initiate the humanity of our Savior,
and to cleanse their souls from the
stains of the smallest sins.
In the evening Of Wednesday. Thurs
day and Friday the church performs
solemn office, commonly called the Ten
ebr8. which, III the Office of the church,
is arranged under the titles of Maundy
Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Satur-
day, being the mathis and iaudS assigned
to these days. The rites of the church
upon these three days declare her con-
Germ and her trouble for the sutferings
of her Redeemer and the sins of men.
She lays aside every expression of Joy
and festivity. Her offices are not CON-
menced with those impressive invoca-
tons by which she beSeeches the Lord
to open her lips TO sing His praises and
to come to her assistance to enable her
to render Him a homage worthy of His
majesty. The sacred doXology, "Gloria
Patri." is omitted at the end of the
psalms. No hymns of divine praise are
sung. No Dominus Vobiscum is said,
to ask the blessing of God upon the peo-
pie. The psalms anc lesson that con-
stitute her office breathe scarcely any
thing but signs and lamentations. Her
canOnical hours are terminated by the
same prayer, implOring God to look with
an eye Of pity on those for whom His
Son, our Lord, vouchSafed to suffer
death.
The six candles on the altar and the
fifteen candles placed on the epistle
side ali burning at the beginning or the
office. signifying the lights of faith
preached by the prophets and Jesus
Christ; of which faith. the Fundamental!
article is the mystery of the Blessed |
Trinity, represented by the triangular
candieStick. AT the REPETITION of the |
fourteen antiphonS in the mathis and |
lauds, fourteen CT the candles in the tri |
angular candiestick are eXtlnguiShed, |
beginning OH the lowest OH the left, |
then the lowest on the right. and So |
alternately the numbers at the anti |
piiopS show when Il candle is to be eX-
tinguished. AT the last six verses of |,
the benedictns, those on the altar are |
put out TO teach the faithful that the |
jews were totally deprived of the |
light of faith, when they put our Savior |
to death. But the fifteenth candle that |
represents the light of the world, Jesus |
Christ, is only hidden for time under |
tile altar, and afterwards brought out |
again still burning to signify that, |
though Christ, according to His human |
fty, died, and was laid in the SepuIchre, |
yet He was always alive according to |
His divinity by which he raised. His |
body again to life. The darkness which /