The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1896-04-05
EASTER SUNDAY
AND ITS CUSTOMS
How the Day Was Observed Years
Ago and Its Celebra-
tlOn Now.
WAY TO LEARN TIE DATE
Origin oi the Easter Fire and the Literal
Construction the Eastern Pilgrims
rut on history Other Id
tetstinl Facts

Easter IL one Of the great festivals OF
the Christian year. the others being
Christmas and Whitsuntlde From the
earliest period Of Christianity down 20
the present day II has always been cell
brat-i by Christians with the greatest
Joy. In primitive times II was usual
Tor Christians to salute each other on
this day by eKclaimlng. Christ II risonr'
TO which the person salutod replied.
Christ II risen indeed" OF else, And
hath appeared unto Simon"
Though there has never been any diff
ference Of opinion In the Christian church
a. TO Why Easter Is kept tn re las
been a good deal as to when II ought 90
be kept II h one OF the movable ieasts:
that is u II not nxed TO one particular
day. ike Christmas day. when IL al.
says December % The rule given at the
beginning Of the prayer book TO ma
Easter IN this. Easter Day is always
the nrst Sunday after the full moon,
which happens upon or next after March
u. and. " the fun moon hAppeus upon
n SUNDAY. Easter Is the Sunday after.
IL II well known that DIRE haA In the
Infancy OF most nations bccn held In
high esteem. and among some OF them
even accounted worthy OF veneratlon.
Fire and water having been looked upon
~ the most efficient means Of purinca-
tion. Wc are not at q loss 20 account
for tho origin and design OF the i.astcr
nrc. Il would bo curious 10 trace In how
far tho holy lamp used IN Catholic
churches IL the offspring OF ycstal hrv:
however. this a, least appears evident.
that the ignoous superstition common 10
pasaniSm imperccpubly crcpt into Chris
tinn oharrNancea. And these supersti-
tions must have made violent inroads
among our Christian predecessors. since
10 bgeAme necessary for the Sixth Cen
eral Assembly OF the church, which was
held In the year sNo, under Constantine
Pogonatus, 10 prohibit the practice OF
lighting nrcs In front OF the hous or
shops and jumping over them at the
time OF the new moon
The Easter hrc In particular. which
has not fallen into disuso even In our
own times In some parts Of the south OF
Germany. IL probably OF pagan origin.
and it's institution. like that OF 30 many
other OF the corruptions which dlsuRured
the primitive churches. seems not TO
have been altogether foreign TO sound
policy. for tho most resp ciable bishops
had persuaded themselves that the ig-
norant rustics would more chsrrsully re-
nouncs tho supcrstiiions OF pasnnism
II they found some resemblance. scme
compensation, In the bosom OF Christian
ity. The old chronicles record twotold
celebration OF the Easter lire. the one
held within and the other outside the
sacred sdifice.
on Easter Eve It was usual for the
Jews to make u bonfire In the open air.
into which all leavcned bread was cast.
In Jerusalem Rt the present lay a cere-
mony Is performed which Is called the
Miracle OF the Easter Fire" The
Latin churches have not taken part In
this ceremony for the last three hundred
years. The Roman Catholics protest
against Il. and Il Is now managed en-
tirely by the Greek and other churches
Of the Orient
WITH THE GREEKS.
Tho Greeks say that the miracle has
been celebrated ever since the days OF
the Apostles Most OF the pilgrims OF |
tho Eastern chuTches sbelieve that the |
hre actually comes down from heaven.
and that they are able to ignite their |
candles from flames sent by God. This |
holy fire appears precisely at o'clock |
In the afternoon every Easter Saturday |
in the tomb OF the Holy Spulchre. All |
the lights OF the church have been put |
out beforehand, and the people stand for |
hours and walt for the holy tire There |
are holes IN the walls OF the sepulchre |
itself and through these candles are |
passed to the patriarch OF Jerusalem, |
who Is inside, lie lights them with the |
sacred flame and hands them out burn |
ing. Other candles are lighted from |
these, and messengers, running, carry /
the holy fire all over Palestine, to Beth |
lthem and to Nazareth, TO the Sea OF /
Gallilee ana 10 the different parts OF the |
earth from which the pilgrims come. |
The interest In this ceremony is as great /
Rs that which surrounds the Passion |
Play at oberammergau, The night be- |
fore the miracle hundreds sleep In the |
different chapels and In the rotunda, In |
order to hold good places for the morrow. |
and during the day the churches are
thronged TO such an extent that people |
are often injured by the crush.
EASTER SUNDAY IN ROME.
In Rome. as might be expected, Easter
Sunday Is celebrated with elaborate cere-
NV hd9 10 ny
firing OF cannon from the castle Of ST.
Angelo, and about o'clock carriages
with ladies and gentlemen are begin
ming to pour toward 81. Peters. That
basllca Is richly decorated
for the occasion, the Mtars are freshly
ornamented and the lights around the
tomb and figure OF st, Peter are blazing
after their temporary extinction. Ao-
cording to usage, the pope ofIlciates this
day at mass in ST. Peters, and he dots
10 with every imposing accessory that
can be devised, From hall in the ad-
Joining palace Of the Vatican he is borne
into the church, under circumstances OF
the utmost splendor Seated In his
sedia Gestatoria, his vestments blaze
with gold; on his head he wears the
tiara, tall round gilded cap rep
resenting a triple crown. which is under
stood to signify spiritual power, tenn
poral power and the union of both. Be
side him are borne the "habsni," or
large fans, composed of ostrich feather,
In which are set the eye-like parts OF
DeQCOCk'g feathers IN signify tho avaa |