New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-04-11
CEREMONIES or PALM SUNDAY.
THE BLESSING OF THE PALMS, THE PROCESS
SION AND THE MASS.

SION AND THE MASS.
Palm Sunday. is named from the palm or olive
branches which are solemnly blessed and distributed
"a he carried in the hand Palm Sunday IN remem-
brance of the time when the Saviour maze MS W.
unpha entry into Jerusalem. This day Is aiso
called Hosanna Sunday. from the opening an'iphon'
Formerly 1t called "Pascha Floriuuin. De-
cause Easter is as IL were. In bud.
The ceremonies divided into three parts the
blessing of the Palms, the procession and the mass.
In cathedral churches the Bishop having vested
a, the throne in purple cope mtre read the antiphon
and the Hosanna. The antphon and the prayer
tina, is said by the Bishop express the object and
character OF the days function. via the joyful cee-
bration Of Christs entry king. AMI the sorrowful
commemoraton of His Passion The sub-deacon
reads a lesson from Exodus. in which, with an ap-
proprate and consequently beautiful analogy TO the
festival God, after Israel had rested beneath the
palm tree Of Ellm promises complete redemption
from the Egyptian bondage, with the evidence there
of OF the mama.
The choir sings a rcsponsory. narratng dramau-
cally and alphabetically. first, the assembly OF the
Jewish priests celebrating whether they should
destroy Jesus. and then the prayers and mont
lions of Jesus in the agony The deacon finally
chants a gospel, which explains the ceremonies
recounting the triumpha entry OF our Lord into
Jerusalem. The Bishop then, standing at the
throne and surrounded by Ms ministers sings a
prayer in which two scrptural illusions are made
one 10 Noah. who received an olive branch after
the waters had subsidized; the other to Moses,
whose people, after leaving Egypt camped under
the seventy palm trees. In the solemn tone OF the
preface he describes how the whole creation, Great
ures saints and angels, praise the great OF
the only begotten Son.
The five prayers which follow explain the mys-
terry Of the palms, and draw down tho blessing Of
God upon them and upon the faithful who receive
and keep them with proper dispositions The
,ritI, bol md
distributes them to the clergy. the choir mean
while singing two antiphons. The Bishop having
blessed the incense, which is carried at the head
of professions shed its perfume along the path.
the deacon cries aloud. Let US proceed in peace,
| Amen" The procession then advances clergy and
1h I'VE W 70 b ane ansb IN one e an wS 0
a sign OF JOY.
After the thurifer comes cross bearer. then
the purple.robed acolytes and chorsters then the
clergy followed by ans sn6-deacOn bearing the
ministers, the Archbishop, carrying the palm in
the left hand and blessing the people continually
nhe in % jesus the af King of
| which beginning with the account of our Saviour
humble on which lie was 10 ride. describes
that procession in series Of Tr0phss nat In,
| were united with the angels and those children
crying out ha to b,s the rpmp'eF over DEATH HO-
! The procession leaves the cathedral. and on Its
return finds the door gate barred
| the angels in Heaven greeting the entry of Jesus
| into the Eternal Jerusalem. sing the praises OF
| Christ in the beautiful hymn. Gloria iaus." The
| choir without. representing man celebrating the
entry of the Son OF David into the earthly Jerusa-
lem, repeats the strain Of praise After six verses
| OF this hymn the sub-deacon strikes with the
cross the door. which Immediately opens. and the
| procession enters. With Joyful chant the process
| sion returns to the sanctuary, where the palms
| are laid aside and the Bishop resumes his "cappa
| magma" and mass IL begun.
The mass contains nothing unusual. All traces
| of the JOY OF the preceding ceremony have dlsap-
| peared. save only that during the singing or the
! Passion the palms. the emblems OF victory are
carried in the hands as protest against the IN
dignties offered TO Jesus by his enemies.
/ In cathedral churches the Passion is sung by
three priests clad deacons. but differing from tho
deacon Of the by being without folded chas-
ubles. representing the narrator a second the
persons who appear in the narrative. the third rep
resenting the Saviour.
At 81. Patrick's Cathedral Archbishop Corrigar
! Will bless the palms while in the procession. lie
| will carry large palm. gift from the ladies OF
the Sacred Heart Convent. The palms used In this
country have been plentiful for ten years. owing &c
! the easy access made TO the swamps in Florida
! where they grow. There more expensive palms
| brought here from Jerusalem, but few can afford
| them. They are often taken to the Bishop to be
| blessed