Birmingham age-herald., 1895-04-09
HOLY WEEK OFFICE.
The Meaning of the Season's Great
 Ceremony.

The first day of holy week is called Palm Sunday, being appolnted 10 honor the trl- umpbant entry of Jesus Christ into Jeru- salem, when many of the Jews cut off branches from the trees ana strewed them in the way through which be was to pass. IL is in memory of this triumph that the palms are blessed, distributed 10 the faith- tul and carried Ly iht Ill in solemn pr.ces- sion. They hold them also in their hands while the history oi the passion is read out of St. Matthe ws' gospel 10 signify by that ceremony that il e, are 10 partake of Jesus Clrist by the virtue Of his oeath and passion.
 l h The bene dicIion of the pain in the R.man CalLonc church tntiont d inc bfaLcLes oI ILe Ia.m uee, oIIye tree and other trees, Whicn Ire Ii ;,de use of In countrl,s WheIe these lIees gIoH; other brant hes or trees are Substituted where no palIiis ex S as it is sImpIy ustd as an em- Dlem ana intended to It preseht to us our Savlour's victory over the prlbce of oeath aud the ficnes of bis n,er.les, tLe paliu branches being emblems uI victory anu the olive branches fl mercy.
 We may also Observe mat Christ entered Jerusalem on day that aDeWt IS to the 10 b oay Of the moon, when the Jews brought 10 their houses (Exodus 12) the lam bs that We're 10 oo kl1led and eateL ou the Passover lii inem moIy oi tntlr oellveranee nom tue slavery UI Egypt and of tLelr entrance into the land oi promise by tLeir miraculous passage Lv-r tbe ked sea. Hence, In the procession of this day the opening of the door oI the church by The Knocking with !. the foot of he crots signlfles not ou1y the triumphant enlry 1nto JerLsaiem, but also the gates of the celestial Jeiusaiem were opened for us by CErst, lne true Pascal LamD, oy1ng ou the closs 10 redeem us rom the Slavery of sin.
 To Inc non- Catholic, uninformed as he is, Inc fiice ol holy week Is but d tissue of mcekery; but 10 the cbilGrtn of he kI man IatLoiic ana Episcopal churches IL Is more beautiful, Instructive and consoling llan any other ceremony of the year.
 The crownIng and glor.ous ending of thls beautiful { h1ce IS ternluated on holy Saturday aller the chanting of the ''Credo;' then, for the first time since Holy Thursday morn1pg, the bells peal out ana the choir, wnh grand triumpnal organ accompaniment, peais forth the sGloria h ExceisIs Deo."
 THE TENIBTE.
 In tbe evenings of Wednesday, Thursday and Friday the church performs solemn ctfice commonly called tne 1enebi ie, which Is ranged under tLe litles MauhCy Thurs day, dooo Friday and Holy Saturday, being he malins ana lauds assigned 10 those utys. The name oi IeneDi8 Is given 10 It from the circumstance oi sxtlnguishiog, during the course ot il, all The taadles which have been prepared in the sanctuary for the ceremony.
 The rights of the church upon these three days declare her concern and her troubie for the hnfferings of her Redeemer aud the sins of men. She lays aside every express sion of joy and lestivity. The Psalms and the lessons tn at constitute her flee breathe scarcely anything else but slghs ana lam- eptatlons.
 I he six candles on the altar, and fifteen candles placed on the Epislle side during the Tenep a, all burning at the beginning Of the tfhce, signijy the lights ol faith preached Ly me prophets and Jesus Christ, of W hich 1aith the Iundam. ntal article IS the mystery of the blessed Trinity, repre- scented by the triangular candtsuck. At the repellticn of the fourteen Antipbons, in the maths ana lauos, fourteen of the candles in the triangular candiestick are exiinguiehed; at the last SIX verses Of the "Benedictusp those on the altar are put out to teach us that the Jews were totally deIrlved of the light of faith when they put our Savior to oesth. but the hileeHtb candle, that represents the Light -oI the World, Jesus Christ, is only hidden for a time under ihe altar aud after wards brought out again, stIll burning, to signify that though Christ, according 10 His humanity, died aLd was laid in the sepulchre, yet He was always alive according 10 Ills diviniiy, by when He raised His body again to lie. The darkness which pervadesthe sanctuary while the 'Miserere' and prayer are sad naturally puts us in mind or tue darkness that covered the whole earth at His death, and the noise made at the end Of the prayer repro sents the confusion of nature tor the less or its author, when the earth trembled, the rocks were rent, the graves opened ana the veil of the 1t mple was torn from lhe top 10 the bottom.
 MAUNDY THURSDAY.
 The Roman Missal and Breviary call this day ''Feria quinta in ena Domini;' that is, "1Le Thursday of tue Lords supper being the day when our Lord, at hlS last turper, instituted the sacrament of the Ea- cLafIst. We may call it Maundy iLuIs- day from the ceremony of washing the feet, called in the Rutric 'fMsndatum, winch is the first Antophon sung during the ceremony.
 I he mass on this day differs from the rest of the flee. That of the holy euchs- rist IS celebrated, sutject, therefore, of joy and thanksgiving, expressed by the ringing of bells and the white color Cf the veslments of the altar. For, though the church is wholly taken up during the week with the passion of Christ, and for that reason has appointed the feast oi Corpus Christi day oi thanksg giving for tue insti- luton of that sacramen yet she could not refrain from some X press Ion of her y and gratitude on the uay when our L,ru was pleased to give us so wonderful pieoge of His love. But after the ''Gloria iu Excel sls'' the bells silent during the sre- malnder of this day, all Good Friday, and Holy Saturday, untii the recurrence of the same angellcal hymn on the last mentioned day. his is intended 10 honor the won oerlui silence Of cur Savior during His passion, and 10 express the astonish ment and the mourning of the church Tor the ueath oi her spouse.
 I he kubric ptescribes the conservation of two osts-one Tor the sacrifice of this day, the other 10 be carried In SOU iDu procession to place aoorntd with hgnls, where 1t IS PV nlst. hnr fha fiif.as-f the next day. The reason of this solemn worship oi God m the blessed sacrament is