New-York tribune., 1902-11-02
PROCESSION OF PENANCE.
ONE OF THE LAST OF THE CHRISTIAN
HYSTERIES-ANNUALL CELEBRATED
AT FURNEs. BELGIUM.


last Sunday in July, OF the Procession OF Pen
ance." which represents the life and death Of
Jesus Christ, and is one Of the last remaining
Christian mysteries. Instituted five centuries
ago. the raison d'etre OF the Furnes procession
at the outset was TO carry about in great
pomp through the streets Of the town a piece
OF the Holy Cross brought back from Con-
stantinOple by Robert Count of Flanders. Grad
Gally. owing to the popular taste for public
parades other mysteries were added to the
great Christian dramatic legend and mystery
OF Tobias. and the mystery OF ST. Sebastian.
The Procession OF Penance then steadily de-
generated until. in the seventeenth century. It
had become little better than burlesque. the
central figure OF which was ''gayant," one Of
those oldtime Flemish puppets which have al
ways played such important part at popular
fetes in the LoWlands. Finally, brotherhood
was founded TO put end 10 the proclamation.
This fraternity. called The Sodality Of Our
crucifed Lord" restored the primitive mystery.
But shortly after an event took place which
completely altered the character of the process
sion. Two soldiers having seized the conse-
Grated waters and transfxed them with their
spears, a public reparation was deemed neces-
sary 10 atone for the sacrege. In this manner
originated the present annual procession through
the streets of Furnes-
The procession itself is formed within the
Church of Sainte Walburge. Outside. the horses
Of the Roman soldery may be seen pranclng
about while Mary. seated an ass, is awaiting
the start for the flight into Egypt Then the peni-
tents. dragging after them carts with the stable
Of Bethlehem. the Holy sepulchre' the Resurrec-
ton and the Ascension. slowly leave the church.
followed by a long line Of rosy checked girls
with white wells.
AS the lines Of the procession unfold them-
selves the general impression given is that OF
variegated river Of gold purple and blue FlrSt
come the chariots representing the Sacrlhce
of Abraham the Prophets, and the three trou-
bles of David followed by the scourges-"ar'
Pestilence and Famine Then appear 81 1oh"'
the Hermits and the Shepherds; an angel pre-
cades the stable within which Mary and Joseph
seated.
TJpon entering Jerusalem, young girls. men.
women and children wave palm branches ana
siny the hosanna. The Twelve Apostles appear |
and among them Jesus. riding on an ass, fol- |
lowed by five chariots representing. respec- |
lively the Lords Supper, the Garden OF OA'eS' /
the Denying of St. Peter the FlageNauon, the |
Crown of Thorns and the Eece Homo. Jesus
then masses by, dragging the cross; twelve SOL |
diers and the executiOners, with their lNsIru-
ments Of torture, walk beside Him.
AT that moment intense excitement prevails
,n tbe crowd of onIookers Perfect silence
SAA~
dren kneeling pray aloud, their rosarles In
hand At every house window are lighted cam
dis II is no uncommon sight to see some poor
old women, carried away by their religious Ter
vor throwing coins in front Of the cross, thls
humble Offering from these simple souls being
one of the most characteristic incidents OF the
Furnes procession.
Mary and St. John follow behind Jesus, weep |
Eng and lamenting; then Veronica appears with
the holy kerchief, preceded by an angel, VINO
calls upon all those tempted to complain OF
sheiF lot to take into consideration the suher-
ings which Christ endured. The assembled
penitents then display the several emblens OF
the CrucifxiOn-the sponge, the nails, the spear
and the shroud. Then other penitents follow;
a chariot with the Holy Sepulchre appears.
while little girls in mourning attire lament
aloud Our Lady OF Seven Sorrows passes by,
accomDanied 10y two weeping virgins, and. final
lv = chariot with the Resurrection ends the
cort6ge.
Crowds Of the faithful then swell the pro-
caeeion The penitents march in close ranks.
torches I'm hand the hooded, the women
x,eilas and barefooted weighed down, all Of
tbeYn. bv the heavy crosses they drag along.
Thousands Of moving tapers surround the
blessed Sacrament, borne under a canopy in the
midst of the clergy and brotherhoods
To-day, as in centuries past, the inhabitants
os Furnes show the same zeal TO play part
a a., historical representation of the life and