The evening times., 1900-05-12
EASTER IN THE GREEK CHURCH
Turbulent scenes During the CeIe-
brntion in JernsaIem
0From the PhiIadeIphia Reeord.)

Afirut silr tltilaQci fitia ktclfN.l
The strange ceremony known as the
Descent Of the Holy Fire" is conducted
by the priests Of the Greek Church alone.
in these days although in former times
other churches confessed belief in the
supposed miracle The Greek Easter al
Jerusalem always draws its tens Of thou
sands OF ardent worshipers. Good Friday
and Easter Sunday are, Of course. the
chief days for the pilgrims in the Holy
CITY. aHS =" spent IN, attendance on the
impressive ceremonies Of the Greek
Church at the Holy SepuIchre.
The church is crowded With pilgrims OF
almost every nationality on this occasion
and many disgracefui 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 10 their meJtle to quell
the disturbances which are continually
arising through the meeting Of bands of
ceyotees Of dissirniIar religious views who
contend with fans stical violence for the
temporary possession Of some holy shrine
or chapel.
The turbulent scene opens with the dawn
OF Good Friday, a great crowd spending
the night in the Church OF the Holy SepuI-
chre, in order 10 secure advantageous
places for a sight Of the ceremony (or
Fire. The turmoil is sometimes tremen-
dous, each fanatic striving 10 maintain
whatever soign of vantage he has been
lucky enough 10 obtain; OF. il he has fall
ed in this. to oust some more fortunate
competitor.
Some. 10 make their positions more Sc
cure, tie themselves by cords to the sepul-
chre itself The unlucky ones between
struggles with their neighbors run along
the sepulchre. bowling like demons. amid
the derisiVe cries Of Turkish Zaptiehs. TO
the great scandal OF the truly devout. The
building is jointly occupied by monks and
priests of thi Latin and Greek churches,
though the latter seem 10 hold the balance
Of power.
In early days. as far back as the oc-
cupancy OF the Holy Ci;y by the crusaders.
the Latins were accustomed to represent
the entry of Christ from Bethphage riding
on an ass; but later this spectacle was en-
acted in the church only, palms and
branches of olives being scattered among
the people. Today the Latins bring huge
bundles of palms from GAIA and on Palm
Sunday these are blessed and distributed
10 the faithful.
On Holy Thursday the Latins celebrate
high mass and walk IN procession around
the Chapel OF the Holy SepuIchre: follow
ing which comes the ceremony OF the
washing of the feet" This rite Is OBJ
served by the Greek secretaries also.
though their festival does not always occur
on the same day.
Good Friday was formerly celebrated by
the LatIns-the franciscan monks-by a
mystery play. the representation being
brought to close with the mailing of a
figure TO a cross. The Grefks have a simi-
lar play which is still enacted.
The great feature of Eastertide how
ever. among the adherents of the Greek
Church. is the alleged miracle of the Holy
Fire. Up to the beginning of the sixteenth
century the I-atins took part in this cere-
mony. but since that time II has bee. con-
Quoted by the priests OF the Greek Church
alone
The Greek secretaries maintain that the
miracle" dates back to apostolic days
1t was referred 10 by Barnard the monk
as early as the ninth century
On the great day Armenians, Nestor-
ians, Copts, and Abyssinians contend with
the Greeks and Latins in efforts to be
among the first 70 light their candles a,
the sacred fame. which. il is believed, de-
scends from heaven, but which so the
I Khalif Hakin was told. is generated by
means of resinous oil smeared on the
wires by which the eonsecrated lamp is
suspended over the Holy Sepulchre. the oil
being set on fire from the roof by a con-
federate priest. 1t is said that large sums
are paid the priests by the fanatics whom
they permit 10 l Isht their blessed candles