Evening star., 1899-04-01
EASTER SUNDAY. IN CUBA
Festival is Observed There With Music and
Gladness.
Following Upon the Dense Gloom OF
Holy Week the Reaction fs
All the Greater.

From the New York Herald.
Those of us who know Easter only in our
cold and prosaic north can have little con-
ception of the significance and solemnity of
Passion week in countries where a hotter
sun has infused intenser warmth into the
blood.
Mr. Thomas H. Graham vice president of
the Juragua Iron Mines Company, San
tiago de Cuba, gives interesting descrip-
ton OF Easter as observed in Santiago and
other Cuban cities.
During the entire week." he says ''aIl
social gayety is suspended; even business
assumes quieter aspect, but the dstinc-
tive celebrations do not begin until Holy
Thursday. On that day high mass is broken
OIL IN the mlddle, and a procession of priests
carries an image of the Christine 'Ecce
Homo'-to the cathedral. In towns where
tnere is no cathedral some church is Sc
lected, and there the image life size and
robed in white, is carried in solemn state
M 1ne entire populace joining the procession.
10 Pilate's Judgment Hall. The image is
ieft IN the church and the people disperse
III silence. Then the devout begin the cere-
niony OF the pilgrimage. That is, they
vlslt fourteen churches, indicative of the
fourteen stations of the cross saying pray
efs at every station. 1t generally requires
part Of Good Friday to complete the pill
"a Good Friday in southern Roman
Catnohc country is something to be re-
inlenDered. n, The sun rises on city plunged
T 1r1 apsoIute stillness-stillness of the grave.
Inc very air is funereal
In the afternoon the procession of the
Holy Virgin takes place. This is really the
most striking of all the ceremonials. The
sacred image, robed in black is carried by
priests and is followed by the eighteen
canons of the church in singular costume
all black. On their heads they wear conf
eai black caps fully two and half feet in
fhair nl.ae
or elgnteen~feet long. Every canon is fol-
| lowed by an acolyte. who carries the train
ihen comes the populace men and women
stili In black. all carrying lighted candles
Inc scene is curiouSiy medieval and i'm
pressive.
The people who are not in the process
SION vie with one another in doing homage
10 the Virgin as she passes. Money is
freely given, and flowers are offered in
profusion- While we lived in Santiago Mrs.
Granam always sang a hymn to the Virgin
as her image passed our house. which was
facing the great plaza. AS her voice rose
from the balcony where we stood the vast
procession would stop and listen IN a silence
| so profound that 1t could be felt Not
sound would be heard except Mrs. Graham's
voice
Through the entire day no bells have
been rung. Even the call to church Is given
by gathering a peculiar box with loosely
fastened strips of wood. BY 10 o'clock all
lights are out, and the city seems asleep
Then comes the SATURDAY of Glory with
| Its wonderful and dramatic change. At 10
o'clock in the morning all the church bells
ring out joyfully, and the vigil is ended.
AT the first sound of the bells called the
burst of glory. every one drops on his
knees, wherever he may be- and says three
Credos. The battery in the fort saIutes.
The veil is taken from the altar The
mass IS resumed where It was broken off
on THURSDAY and everywhere rejoicing
takes the place of mourning Easter Sun
day is dav of music and gladness. 1t
seems as If the reaction from the excessive
gloom of the preceding days affected the
entire citv. and an almost wild gayety IS
the result Monday and Tuesday are de-
voted to festivities. and it Is not until the
end of the week that the city resumes its
usual aspect"