The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-04-12
FEAST Of THE PALN
Interesting Sunday in Repub-
lie of Mexico.
LOOKS LIKE A FORREST
In the Interior of One of the
Grand CathedraIs.
LOOKS LIKE A FORREST

City Of Mexico. April Bon Palm Sun
day-Domingo de los Ramos. or branches
the appearance Of Mexican cities is en-
tirely unlike that of any other day. From
early in the morning the plazas and
streets are alive with people, each ex-
pecting to provide himself with a palm
leaf, blessed in memory Of Christs en-
trance into Jerusalem.
In this city two churches in particular
hold solemn and beautiful services in
-.essing the palms, whic-l are preserved
through the following year. Those of last
year are burned. In some churcaes this
is done in time for the ashes to be used
in making the sign OF the cross on the
foreheads of tn bse presenting themselves
at the altar railing on Ash Wednesday.
Thus the palm leaves Of triumph are
made to show the vanity of az glory in
this act of humiliation.
Before the Laws of Progress and Re
form" were passed. the professional part
Of the services was held outs4oe OF the
sacred edifces, but now all must take
place within the buildings of the enclosed
cnurchyard. Santo Domingo the old
stronghold of the Inquisition, is beauti-
ful on Palm Sunday, though the gray old
cathedral. with its tail towers and mas
sive bells. is the favorite place. Those
who would see the enure ceremony should
go early, for by the hour OF blessing, nine
O'Clock in the morning, the great building
is a mass of human beings of every age
and condition
From early morning Inolans have been
ready with their palm leaves split and
plated into many shapes; often the idea
of the cross is embodied in the design. In
front Of the cathedral the plaiters sit or
stand ready 70 sci BIO those passing in.
As thousands are to be sou. and no one
buy unblessed palms after the ceremony
is over, every effort is made to get great
numbers of the palms into the church in
time After the ceremony, the vendors
stand ready: Buy branch. sonora
Here you have your palma, blessed by the
padrecito!"
BY nine o'clock the interior of the ca
thedral is Ike a fed of waving palm
.leaves-al struggling to get near the al
tar. Those who are Oh the outer edge
raise their branches high when the offici-
ating priest calls out, in q loud voice, the
blessing which begins, ooh, God. who
sentest thy Son TO the earth for the good
of man. Ihe benedbction over, every
branch is in motion-a veritable palm
garden, with here and Their bit of color,
because some Indian, not being able TO
resist his love for the beautiful. has
woven a few roses or poppies into his
palm leaf.
1t is then the procession begins. In
stead of priests and singers leaving the
church, followed by the congregation, to
chant as they moved around a cruz before
the great portals, as formerly, all crowd
closely as possible on the outside of the
inner doors, which are then closed. The
chant begins: And the multitude that
went before, and that followed. cried,
saying, Hosanna to the Son of David
Blessed is He that cometh in the name Of
the Lonii Blessed is the kingdom of Da-
vid, which we now see. Hosanna in the
highestr" The cnant over, the hymn,
Gloria, laus ct honor IS sung, and the
officfating priest, approaching the closed
door, says in q loud voice:
open, open, eternal gates. Open, that
the King of Glory may enteri'
Voices from within respond:
who is this King of Glory?"
He is the Lord, strong and powerful.
the Lord terrible, invincible in battle.
open, open. eternal gates. Let the Lord
of Glory enterr'
Still the doors remain closed. and from
behind them come again the voices: Who
is this King of Glory?''
For the third time the question is ans
wered in the same way. AS the last woros
are uttered the door is knocked upon with
the arms of the cross borne by the priest
and thesooor is thrown open. allowing all
TO enter. AS the priests draw near the
sanctuary. they begin in a triumphant
voice:
And when Jesus was come into Jeru-
salem. al the city was moved, saying,
Who is thisg'
Mass follows. When it is concluded and
all have bowed low their heads, many
kissing the floor at the words, Jesus.
with a loud cry, yielded up his soul!' all
go home with their branches in their
hands Some are tied in the outer rail-
ing. where they stay. through dry season
ana wet, for the appointed time. Others
are placed over the heads OF beds. The
blessed palms are sometimes laid in
hands of loved ones prepared for the
CARVE. and tradition says they never fade.
Published April z. 1901