Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-11-03
Unique Ceremonies Conducted by the
Churches.
GREEKS, ARMEHIANS And CATHOLICS
How a Franciscan Friar OutWItted
a Sheikh.
JAILERS OF CHRISTENDOM

cOrding to an interesting recital given to
a reporter of The Star by one of the Fran
Ciscan brothers of the monastery near
Washington. The sacred liturgy, he said,
is held each midnight by the three rec
ogEized communities, the Greeks the Ar
menians and the Roman Catholic Each
follows its particular system. The Greeks
have preserved the ancient oriental itur-
gical chant, in which strange and mourn
full modulations of their voices are pre-
dominant Following this ceremony their
mass begins and varies in solemnity and
character according to the feast day. The
patriarch and the bishops clad in gor-
geous vestments and wear crowns.
The celebration of the Armenians fol-
lows that of the Greeks. Their liturSical
chant is more uneven and mOurnful, and
is accompanied by the tinkling of small
bells attached to wands carried by AGO.
lytes. The Armenians use, instead of
church bells. which they oppose. plank
of wood or metal upon which they make
Geafening noise with hammers in order to
summon the faithful to service.
The Roman Catholics al the Holy Sepul-
chre. who are Franciscan brothers. begin
with their mathis at midnight and con-
tinue them until 30 o'clock. when. after
short rest. they say their masses.
Relations of the Sccts.
The Greeks and Armenian churches, al
though they do not differ widely in doc
tIine in regard to the sacraments, are
separated from the Catholic Church by the
question of the supremacy of the pope.
They are under the immediate control of
the sultan. who practically elects and de-
poses their patriarChs. For this reason, said
the narrator, it is not always the WORTH
ness of the candidate which decides whether
or not he is to mount the patriarchal chair,
and unworthy men are not iufrequently en-
abled to thrust themselves into prominence,
to the great detrment of the churches.
Both the Greeks and the ATmenanS he
continued are hostile to the Catholics, be-
ing jealous of the rights and privileges that
have from time to time been accorded to
the latter by imperial tirmans. Only by
constant vigilance can the Latins elude
their plans. The FranciscanS have to be
always ready to lay down their lives for
the preservation of their prerogatives, and
only a few years ago brother who stood
up for them was killed in the Grotto of the
Nativity itself.
The Jnilers of ChristendOm.
One of the most incongruous sights at the
Holy Sepulcher, continued the narrator was
the Turkish divan just inside the en-
trance. on which couple of indolent Mos
lens recline. gazing with apparent indif-
ference at the devout pilgrims who pass
through but really scrutinizing them with
may be styled the jailers of Christendom,
for they possess the right of opening and
closing the Basilica. This privilege has been
hereditary in two families for centuries
To one belongs the right of keeping the
key of the gate. and to the other one the
privilege of opening it. When any one of
the three communities living inside the Ba-
silica desires the gate to be opened a SER
want is signaled to call the representatives
of the two families. After a long delay,
because oriental is never in a hurry
Cept when he wants a favor, the two men
appear. The gate can be unlocked only in
the presence of the two. the old regulations
prescribing the attendance of both, as the
one holding the key is not allowed to open
the gate.
After having performed their duty they
repair to their divan and proceed to light
the nargileh and fan the brazier upon
which they make their coffee. Charcoal
and coffee have to be furnished them by
the fathers, besides a stipend Of money. the
price of all reaching about 81 for each
opening. The gate remains open only till
about II O'Clock in the forenoon. On festi-
walls. when any of the patriarchs make
their solemn entrance, both wings Of the
gate are thrown open. and the price for
this ranges from 50 to so, consuls and
other distinguished visitors being expected
to give extra backsheesh.
Even Made the Dead Pay.
Up to a few years ago. if any one of the
fathers died the gate had to be opened.
and then the janItors levied another and
higher tax on the poor fr.ars. besides which
a special permit for burial had to be OBJ
tanned from he government, which was
generally given in the following terms: We
allow hereby d damned Frank dog to be
buried" In order to avoid these vexations,
many a father was buried in the cellar of
the convent within the Basilica, where the
remains still repOSe or more often the
fathers reSorteJ to a ruse to elude the Wig
lance and rapacity Of the jailers. The
corpse would be dressed up as usual in the
habit, the hood being drawn low over the
face, and two brothers, prOpping the body
u2 on either side. would lead it out throug h
the gate early in the morning, as though
they were taking the corpse out for a walk
while in reality they were conveying it to
the buryins ground.
Reads Like n Romance
After Teciting other onerous burdens put
upon the Franciscans The Stars informant
told graphic story of friars WHY subter.
fuge.
Owing to the confinement and contin
uous work at the Holy Sepulcher" he said
the fathers living there are often allowed
to take occasional brief vacations, which
they usually spend among the various con.
vents which are scattered through the
neighboring country. These journeys are
generally made on foot. While setting ou
on one of these holidays some years ago
two OF the fathers while walking along
were suddenly surrounded by a band o.
Bedouins. who took them prisoners.
One of the fathers managed to make his
escape. but the other was carried off into
the mountains of Moab, beyond the DeaC
sea. Seeing that resistance would only ag
gravate his condition he showed himself
willing to assist his captors and thus in.
Sratiate himself with them. In the course
Of time he mastered the Arabic Language
perfectly. was provided with an Arabic cos
tune and came to be regarded as one of the
tribe But his longing to regain his lib
erty never lessened, and finally grew 81
intense that he resolved to devise a plaI
of escape An idea occurred to him one
day and he decided upon It's immediate I'M
dertaking, although it would take hin
years to put II into execution.
During the various strifes in which the
Bedouins were engaged he always re
manned at the camp. for they trusted him II
everything but In matters of warfare
After their next departure he repaired to 8
solitary ruin. and. taking a stone from tn,
ancient building. began to engrave an in
Scription thereon in Latin. giving his his
tory. initiating the old epigraphs he fount
there AS his tools were extremely poo
the work progressed very slowly and h,
was. Of course. careful to put the stone i,
the ground when the Bedouins returned
The sheikh had often pressed him to tel
where the hidden treasures of the RUNE,