Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-04-10
THE WEEK BEFORE EASTER
And How i VIII Be observed in the

! And How It Will BE Observed in the
Catholic Church.
AS the Catholic Church celebrates
| Holy Week In an especial matter. 1t
may be of interest to explain the prin-
| cipal services and their Significance.
The week before Easter is called Holy
Week on account of the great things
which TRANSFERRED in it: for. says st.
Chrysostom, the tyranny of the devil
was overfhrown, death disarned sin
and its curse taken away. heaven
| opened and made accessible and men
made fellows With the angels. In the
Catholic Church the object is to cele-
brate the memory of the passion and
death of her Rcdcemer. and every part
of the sacred liturgy is directed to this
end.
The principal services are held on
Palm Sunday and on Thursday, Friday
and Saturday, Holy Thursday, some
times called Maundy Thursday, Is cele-
brated as the day on which our Lord
Instituted the sacrament of the holy
Eucharist. and for that reason, al
though 1t is Lent. the service of the
mass takes on a joyful character, for
the church. taken up as she is with the
contemplation OF the passion OF Christ,
could not refrain from some expression
of joy and gratitude for the wonderful
pledge of his love. So, for This occa-
sion. the vcstmentS are of white, the
altar is decorated and all the bells are
rung at the Gloria and Excellsis. after
which no bells are rung for the bal
ance of the week until the recurrence
OF the same Acgelical hymn on Holy
Saturday. This to honor the wonderful
silence Of the Saviour during his pas
sion.
There Is also solemn procession of
the Blessed Sacrament which is OK
posed for alteration of the faithful. On
every day in the year! save Good Fri
day. the church commentaries the
awful sacrifice of Jesus on the cross by
the holy sacrifice of the mass: But on
Good Friday she offers no sacrifice nor
is there any conservation Of the Holy
Eucharist. So that in the office which is
performed. instead OF the mass, she
contents herself with a bare rcpresen-
tation of the passion, showing to the
faithful JESUS Christ crucified. For this
end the priest reads the lessons and
tracts from the Old Testament contain
ing predictions of the Savour's comm g
for our redemption, and times of his
lmmolation on the cross, followed by
the history of the passion, as rcla ted
by St. John, to show how the law and
the prophets were verified by the COS
pei. The church Drays in n special
manner for all SORTS and conditions of
people on Good Friday in NOUS recol-
lection of the fact that on this day
Christ prayed for his prosecutors and
oi.cieu Ills ploou 10 MS rather for the
salvation of those who shed it. Then
follows the ancient ceremony Of the
veneration of the cross-as ancient as
Christianity. 1t is not, however, to the
frail materials of the cross that adora-
ton is paid, but to Him who, on it,
offered His blood for our salvation
On Saturday of Holy Week the SER
vices are consecrated to the memory Of
our Lord in his sepulchre. The Paschal
candle Is lighted emblematic of the
SaViour's rising to n new life, and the
baptismal font is blessed. Since the
destruction of st. Paul's Church there
day.