The Red Cloud chief., 1894-03-23

-%I
\~SSySSNm HE Easter season il full
G"BNEC of curious customs in va
I'M rious countries. In Ger
t NM many Easter nests ARE
.IDB N made To- hold the eggs
u II and many prepared good
les. These nests are made
sometimes of twigs aud ivy, or gilt
and silver leaves, or lace and artifi-
cial flowers. Sometimes n basket lined
with silk and trimmed with ribbon or
anything bright and pretty is used for
u nest. Besides tho eggs, there are can
dies aud cakes made In odd shapes OF
people and animals, with marbles, toys
and even books. Bat whatever else Is
missing, the eggs nre always there, and,
strange to say, "a rab,it-not u hen-is
pastry or sugar.
On Easter morning the children hunt
for the nest, and the first II who finds
It cries out, "Oster hase, oster hasel"
meaning Easter rabbit" Tho finder
then distributes the gifts, which arc
marked with the children's
In Paris thousands Of people go In
holy week to visit 1.-THE tombs" erected In
tho various churches. scenes represent
ing the birth and death Of Christ. Tho
figures In these scenes are made very
hfelikc and are grouped according to the
descriptions OF the vents In Scripture.
Many candles and beautiful flowers arc
used to decorate them.
Eu,s slaV mn NJ s,npt An thA
Easter festival in Russia. 1t Is estimAt-
sd that 10000. 900 are used In st. Peters
burg alone at that time. 1t Is necessary
for all persons to prepare . good stock OF
decorated eggs for every one, and meet
ing and greeting m acquaintance to press
an egg into the hand. All tho eggs have
"Christos vosskress," Christ is risen,"
on them, and generally aro decorated.
Besides tho eggs. everybody gives u kiss
to NIL OF his acIuaintances no chances TO
meet. Not to do so is considered rude.
On Good Friday in each church IL
placed o representation Of Christ's body
after death, and as people pass by 1t they
kiss the wounds. Saturday IL very quiet.
There are no services and no ringing Of
bells. At midnight the priests appear at
thCiE ocNCtut NhuitiiOo, Nv o'hS .
10 risen from the dead" Is heard, the
churches are suddenly lighted, and peo-
pie kneel in groups to receive u blessing.
Then the Easter kissing begins, and ev-
erybody kisses all with whom he has the
slightest acquaintance. In st. Peters
burg there is u grand illumination with
fireworks.
In Siberia people shake hands and
, present eggs to each other on Easter
, morning. These eggs are exchanged for
? other eggs, and so Oh al intinitum until
|, the day is over. Men 70 to each Others
j. houses in the morning and utter the
greeting, Jesus Christ is risen" The
reply is, 'Yes. he is risen," after which
the people embrace. exchange eggs and
drink brandy.
In the Greek church In Asia Minor the
Easter ceremony consists Of having q
small bier, decked with orange and cit
ron buds, jasmine flowers and boughs,
placed in the church. with "a crucified
Christ rudely painted on a board for the
/ body. Before daybreak u huge bonfire
is lighted. singing and shouting INDUCED
in and every honor paid the effigy, ac-
companied by presents OF colored cakes
> and Easter eggs.
! The o~bservances Of Easter are especial
ly interesting ut Jerusalem. where the
! event which they commemorate took
place. A single mass u celebrated on an
altar erected for the occasion in front
Of tho sepulcher. which y In the Church
Of tho Holy Sspulchsr. The Patriarch
Of the Holy Land celebrates it, and he
} 10 assisted by members a the Franciscan
. order. The frisrs come In O body, and
many high officials attend with theiy
retinues. There u always Q vast NUM-
. Der of pilgrims In Rome during holy
. week, and among the worshipsrs one
may see Persians, Russians, Albanians,
Assyrians, Kurds. Armenians, Egyp.
: tians, A~bssynians, Turks, Arabians and
all sorts Of Europeans. On Good Friday
thousands attend a service at Golgotha.
I which consists mainly Of the mailing OF
q ar image to q cross, q sermon on the
Q crucifixion, the taking down Of the image
q and its removal to O tomb after being
laid OH a slab Of marble supposed to be
8 the same one on which Christ's body was
z laid.
In Rome Easter day is the grand
0 est Of the year. The Boston Transcript
9 gives this brief description of the cere,
monials: THE pealing Of canno ush'
j. ers in the day, and at an early hour thou
IS sands Of men, women and children hasten
h to st. Peters. The church is newly dec.
Grated for the occasion, and around the
n tomb of st. Peter is q perfect blaze OF
J. light. The holy father ofiiciates in per
Il son at the high mass. He is borne from
s the hall of the Vatican to the church
seated in his chair Of state, carried OH
the shoulders Of his officers. His robes
) are most gorgeous, and upon his head il
O the triple crown, which signifies the EN-.
:, bodiment in his person Of temporal and
d spiritual power and a union Of both. On
o each side of him and before and behind