The evening times., 1896-07-28

The members of the little colony OF Greeks
in Washington were accorded Sunday their
first opportunity OF conducting retgious
service in Tie manner which prevails IN
their native land. Fair represented
in this CITY by about serenty-iiye persons,
the ma jority of whom are fruit venders and
peddiers.
Tseoccasion of the meeting Sunday MORN
ing in the Masonic Hail at No. 900 Pennsyi.
yania avenue, was the visit of the Very
Rev. Konsiantinos Papageorgian, SPECIAL
representative of the Greek Church, COM
nissioned by the metropolitan of Athens
TO America. TIE services were conducted
in the native tongue, and there was a large
attendance, winch included Italians and
Russians who are members of that de-
nomination.
THE services were very singular, the con-
gregation rema aiming standing during all the
long ceremony, which lasted for fully four
hours. In the Greek church there are no
seats for the congregation. 1t took two
hours TO 20 through tine form OF mass. which
ischanted in q peculiar kind of drawl by the
entire congregation. Differing from the
Roman Catholic mass, which is always in
Latin, the Greek form is either Hsad in
| Greek, Russian or Egyptian, according to
| the language of the people.
49," GREEK FORM OF BAPTISM.
| After the preliminary services, Dr. Pa
| pageorgian preached a sermon to his coun-
| tryiIien. Then came most unique service,
! the baptism of the first Greek Child in
| Washington. A large immersion bowl was
| broughtin and placed before LiIe priest. Ii
| was similar to an ordinary bath tub, and
I about the size of one. In IL was placed the
I uwu-year- Old babe OF Athanarios MaiavaI,
| a Greek fruit dealer. while the priest clad
| in his elaborate robes. recited The bap-
tisinai creed. The Greek form OF INNER
| sion is much similar TO that of the Amer
| lean baptists. except that after The sub
| ject of baptism is placed in the water,
| winch is blessed by the priest, cup is
| dipped Into Che water gand the liquid poured
| upon the head OF the subject.
The Greek Clergyman arrived In wash
ington Friday, and being unable TO speak
word OF English. he at once placed hii;-
self in the hands OF Rev. DR.. Quinn, pro-
| fessor OF Greek in the Catholic University.
| DE- Quinn secured the han for the services
and made all the arrang ngements for the
| meeting. .-.,-f
There are in America only five Greek
Churches, ore each in New York, Chicago,
| san Francisco, Boston, and Lowell, Mass.
In the latter place there are about 500
| Greeks employed in the carpet factories
and other manufacturing plants, and they
| support n magnificent cdifice. DIR. PAPA
georgian is a highly educated man. He has
been in America for a brief period, having
been commissioned by the Metropolitan
| of Athens, who is the head OF tie Greek
! Church and occupies a position similar in
many respects TO the pope, though the
nominal head of the church is the Patriarch
of Constantinople.
THIS official, however, is mere figure
| head and does not exercise any jurisdic-
ton in church matters. His office dates
back for centuries, when the Turkish
| capital was the seat of religious iDspira-
ton for the Orient and the oracle of the
Greek Church. He occupies his position
more from precedent than from any exect:
tive authority; all church law and matters
pertaining to the church coming from and
being referred to the Metropolitan OF
| Athens.
Last Easter DR.. Papagrogian made a
| pilgrimage to the Holy Land and partici-
pated In the annual celebration at Jeru.
| salem The service which takes place
| at that time is one OF the most important
ceremonies in the East. This year there
were more than 1900 visitors at the
ancient city, 10000 of whom were Rus
| sian Greeks
BLESSING OF THE HOLY FIRE.
| All OF the imperial magnates, foreign con-
suls, priests, and worshipers gather at
the Church OF the Holy Sepulchre for the
blessing of the holy fire, which Is con
ducted by the Patuarch OF Jerusalem on
the Saturday before Easter. The ceremony
consists OF the burning of small ball Of
cotton upon the altar, from which the holy
candles, which everyone carries. are ig
| nited, and there is great rejoicing among
the people. Ofttimes the excitement rise.
| to such an extent as to border on riot
which is only prevented by the interference
of the priests. Both Roman and Greek
Catholics participate in the Ceremonies o
\ blessing the holy fire.
DR.. Papageorgian will remain in this