Evening star., 1897-04-10
THE AREEK EASTER
Curious Celebration of the Festival in
Jerusalem.
CROWDING AROUND TIE HOLY FIRE
Multitudes Seek to Share in an
Alleged Miracle.
A SCENE OF DIS ORDER
Written for The Evening Star.

Written for The Evening Star.
The Greek Easter" at Jerusalem always
draws it's tens of thousands of ardent wor-
shippers, and this year an exceptionally
large influx of visitors is looked for, not
withstanding the disturbed condition of
affairs in the Levant and the threatenings
of pestilence. Good Friday and Easter
Sunday are, of course the chief days for
the pilgrims in the holy city, and are
spent in attendance on the impressive cere-
monies Of the Greek Church at the Holy
Sepulchre.
The church is crowded with pilgrims of
almost every nationality on this OCCASION
and many disgraceful scenes are enacted,
both in the streets and in the sanctuary
itself. The church is guarded by Turkish
soldiers (Mohammedans, of course), and
they are often put to their mettle to quell
the disturbances which are continually
arising through the meeting of bands of
devotees of disSimiar religious views who
contend with fanatical violence for the
TEMPORARY possession of some holy shrine
or chapel. The turbulent scene opens with
the dawn of Good Friday, great crowd
spending the night in the Church Of the
Holy Sepulchre in order to secure adVan-
tageous places for sight of the cere-
mony (or miracle as it is called) of the
Holy Fire. The turmoil is sometimes tre-
merdous, each fanatic striving to main
tain whatever coign of vantage he has
been lucky enough to obtain; or, if he has
failed in this, to oust some more fortunate
competitor. Some, to make their positions
more secure, tie themselves by cords to
the sepulchrc itself. The unlucky ones be-
tween struggles with their neighbors, run
around the sepulchre, bowling like de-
mons, amid the derisive cries of Turkish
Laptlehs, to the great scandal of the truly
a h1yi1I ,e oi,.tl,-
monks and priests of the Latin and Greek
churches, though the latter seem TO hold
the balance of power
In early days. as far back as the occu-
pancy OF the holy city by the Crusaders
the Latins wert accustomed to represent
the entry of Christ from Bethpage, rid
ing on an ass; but later this spectacle was
enacted IN the church only, palms and
branches of olives being scattered among
the people. Today the Latins bring huge
bundles of palms from Gaza and on Palm
sunday these are blessed and distributes
to the faithful.
The Holy Fire.
On Holy Thursday the Latins celebrate
high mass. and walk in procession around
the Chapel of the Holy Seoulchre; fol-
lowing which comes the ceremony of the
washing of the feet" This rite is observed
by the Greek sectaries also, though their
festival does not always occur on the same
day.
Good Friday was formerly celebrated hv
the Latins-the Franciscan monks-by a
mystery play, the representation being
brought to close with the mailing of
hgure to cross. The Greeks have a SINH
lar play which is still enacted
The great feature of Eastertide however
among the adherents of the Greek Church
Is the alleged miracle of the Holy Fire
Up 10 the beginning of the sixteenth CEN
tury the Latins took part in this ce,e-
mony; but since that time it has been con-
Quoted by the priests of the Greek Church
alone.
The Greek sectaries maintain that the
miracle dates back to apostolic days 1t
was referred to by Bernard the monk as
early as the ninth century
On the great day Armenians, HISTORIAN
Copts and Abyssinians contend with the
Greeks and LatinS in efforts to he among
the first to light their candles at the sacred
flame, which 1t is believed descends from
heaven. but which, SO the Khaliff Hakirl
was told, is generated by means of a res
nous oil srneared on the wires by which
the consecrated lamp is suspended over the
Holy Sepulchre; the Oil being set ON fire
from the roof by confederate prie St
1t Is said that large sums are paid the
priests by the fanatics whom they rer-
NIT to light their blessed ca ndles directly
from the sacred flame; the possession Of
such a sanctified object being regarded as
especially efficacious in everything relating
to worldly welfare, and as having ines
SCISSOR through the darkness when death
calls him hence
On Easter Eve.
This eliminating ceremony of the De-
scent of the Holy Fire occurs on Easter
eve, though the excitement begins on the
preceding evening. At about 2 O'Clock in
the afternoon Of Saturday a grand process
sion of Greek priests and monks move
around the Holy Sepulchre, the lamps of
the church being extinguished, one by one.
IN sight of the vast, palpitating crowd.
Finally the patriarch enters the Chapel of
the Sepulchre, the priests intone prayers,
and the immense throng sways to and fro
with religious fervor. The supreme mo-
ment arrives. The patriarch emerges. bear
ing aloft the cleaning flame, which is de-
voutly believed to have miraculously de-
scended from heaven; priests come forth
with bunch of lighted tapers, and an in
describable tumut follows each one
striving to light his own candle at one of
those borne by the priests. Everywhere
there is struggling and surging and shout
ing, until the scene becomes a veritable
pandemonium In the struggle fierce fights
are common, and serious accidents some
times occur. Even the occupants of the
gallery make efforts to get their candles
lighted, lowering them by means of their
sashes. beseeching their more fortunately
located brethren below to show benevo-
lence,' by lighting their tapers for them.
The Mohammedan soldiers enjoy the scan-
shame to the truly pious Christian. Much
later in the evening really solemn serv-
ice takes place. Priests and monks move
around the Holy Sepulchre, singing divine
ly, while the pilgrims, each bearing a
lighted torch, shout. "Halleluliah.'
1t Is an impressive ending to an other
wise painful spectacle.