Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1900-04-16

EAgTER.-Easter Was observed yes
,ordsy with much elabOrateness 10 the
T,tholic. Episcopal, Lutheran and in
some Of the churches of other demon
;Ustions. The floral decorations, the
,andition of special musical pro-.
a,smmes and the full liturgy of the re-
snscIjye denominations united in max
inc the day one OF great religious OBJ
servance. 10 many churches special
collections were taken.
No feast day of the church is of such
General observance as Easter. Through
Ont Cnristeudom the peculiar holiness
oi the day is recognized and it is cele-
hated in more or less elaborate man
ner by every sect which recognizes the
divinity and deity OF the Saviour.
the day was an ideal Easter. 1t was
9 dsy emiueDlly typical of the feast
which marks the return of spring and
the rebirth of nature and celebrates the
tr,nmph of Christ over death. From
tbe rise of the sun until its setting there
was nothing to mar the day or detract
from its time. honored custOms.
little before eleven o'clock the
narsde of beau y and fashion began to
move slowly churchward, with the
IRON frou and simmer of silk and shin
Inv cloth, the CLEANS OF many colOrs
and perfume of flowers. Inside the
cnnrches the air was heavy with the
sweetness of Easter lilies, which stood
like pure and stately sentinels, around
the altar.
After the morning services at the
various churches Washington street
was tnronged with the usual Easter
sunday crowd of promenaders. In
spjte. however, of the bright sunshiny
weather. the parade was not as gor-
geous as in former years. This was
Owing chiefly to the fact that fashion"
now DEGREES that IL is no longer good
form to appear in strictly fresh attire
on Easter Day.
Year by year the Methodist, Baptist,
Presbyterian and other unliturgical
churches are giving more and more at
tention to the celebration Of the day,
until now special services in honor OF
Chrst's resurrection mark the day in
churches of these denominations. 10
some of these churches yesterday there
were also decorations of more or less
elaborate character. II was, however, 10
Catholic, Episcopal and Lutheran
churches that the feast was particularly
observed. The services at ST. Mary's
church, where the interesting and im-
Dressiye ceremonial of the Catholic
Church was carried out in full, were at
tended by large congregations. ln
the morning solemn high. macs, with
three priests-Rev. Father Galley, OF
Ireland, celebrant; Rev. F. j. Pender
CAST, of Georgetown College, deacon,
and Rev. II. J. Cutler. sub-deacon-
was celebrated and Rev. Father PEN
dergast, one of the leading pulpit ora
tocs OF the Jesuit order, preached the
sermoo. A large number OF non Catho'
lies. attracted by the elaborate decora'
tons, the excellent musical programme
and the full ceremonisls of the church,
were present at both the morning and
evening services. Ia the Episcopal
aud tns Lutheran tho full Easter ser
vices were also held and large congre.
cations attended; indeed the attend
ance at all the churches 10 the city was
large. The affairs and chancels of most
of ihe churches were decorated with
flowers, while the Resurrection was the
subject of most of the sermons. Un
usual thought and care had been put
into the preparation OF the Easter
music which was sung 10 the churches
of the city by the various choirs, and
the programmes, which were OF such
elaborate character, attracted the at
teOtiou of people, musical and other
wise, in and out OF the city, Much new
and some familiar music was sung
together with some of the classics
which, though old, Is ever new, ant
will always be popular with choir di
rectors, because OF the devotional spiri
which is its chief characteristic. Tb'
programmes, which were published las
week, were most admirably rendered
and convinced the large congregation
that Alexandria's musical talent is OF
high order.