The Washington times., 1902-02-13
LENT USHsRBD IN
With CHURCH SERVICE
Ash Wednesday Observed by
Catholic and Episcopalian.
Special Exercises of Perpetual Adj
rick's-AIany Organ RecitaIs.

''Aemsnto homo. quia tu pulvis est. ct
in puiverem reverteris.''
Remember, man. that thou art dust. and
unto dust thou shalt return" were the
words with which the ashes we're laid
upon the foreheads OF the faithful in the
/ Catholic churches yesterday. The cere-
mony marked the beginning OF the
church's greatest fast. that of Lent.
which continues from now until Easter.
Ashes for Repentance.
IN the early days the ashes were i'm
posed only upon the heads of public peni-
tents. They had confessed their sins at
Shrovetide. and now they appeared in the
church before mass. to be clothed in sack
cloth and receive upon their heads the
/ ashes OF humiliation and repentance.
Then before the celebration of the sacred
mysteries was begun. they were thrust
from the doors OF the sacred edifice. to
/ spend their time in penance and lasting.
| until Holy Thursday should arrive, and
! the portals once more admit them to
worship within. AS they went forth SOL
EMMY, the prayer Of the church followed
I them, that as the Nineyites. doing PEN
ance in sackcloth and ashes, obtained for
| giveness, so they, following their exam
| pie might also receive mercy.
! Many pious Christians through humility
mingled with the penitents, and shared
( their penances through humility. So it
| came about that when the church abol-
| ished public penance the ceremony that
is distinctive of Ash Wednesday was re-
tanned in order that the lessons contained
in it might not be lost.
| The ashes which are blessed on this
day are from the palms of triumph OF the
Palm Sunday of the year previous. In
this, as in all her ceremonies, the church
teaches by an obvious symbol, the en-
biems of pride and victory being convert
ed into those of humility and abasement.
Teaching by Symbols.
Clothed in violet cope, the emblem OF
| sorrow, the priest proceeds to the altar,
where, at the epistle corner, the ashes
| have been placed. The prayers are recit-
cd and the ashes blessed after which they
are sprinkled three times with holy va
ter while the antiphon "AsperGes me- is
| recited Following this the ashes are
| thrice incensed, and then, after the reel
| tation OF antiphons and responses, are
placed in the form of n cross on the fore
heads of the celebrant and his attending
| ministers, and then on the foreheads OF
the people.
services at st. patricIS's.
There will be a special programme OF
| r,,usjc This afternoon at the services Of
the Perpetual Alteration a st. Patrick 5
Church.
The onening chorus will be F. Riga 5
20 Cor Amoris," followed by Wiegan 5
| .Veni Creator" soprano solo; then:
| Violin solo, Romance, Svendsen; tenor
| solo, with violin obligato, 20 Salutaris,
GODDARD; alto solo, The Kingdom Come,
| the Rev. Leonard: soprano and tenor solo
and ouartette "Tantum Ergo WIegan,
chorus. 'Parce Domini" Gregorian. So
| prano scIoist Mrs. Annie Grant Fugtt
| alto, Miss. Annie Grant; tenor, Mr.. Mel
Vile Hensey; bass, Mr.. Charles Good
child violin, Mr. Sol Minister; organist
! and director, Mr.. Armand Gumprecht.
Saturday afternoon at AS o'clock, Mr.
| II. II. Freeman. organist and choirmaster
of St Johns Church, will give the first
| of a series of Lenten organ recitals. He
| viii be assisted by Mr.. Ernst Lent, VIC
| loneeIlo. and MIR. Charles F. Roberts,
| baritone. The recitals are free 10 the
| public, and Will continue weekly through
! out Lent. Other musicians engaged
! for the recitals are: Miss Bertha Lucas,
| yiolinist Miss II. Theodore Wight, con-
| tralto; Miss Anita Cluss, harp; Mr.. An
| ton Kaspar, yiolnist; Master Thomas
Dobson, il, soprano soloist of st. John s.
| Series of Organ Recitais.
| Another series of free organ recitals
will be given at st. Andrews Episcopal
| Church, Fourteenth and Corcoran Streets.
| They will take place at 4:30 O'Clock p.
H. and will be conducted by Mr.. Fulton
| F. Karr organist who will be assisted by
the members OF the choir quartette.
The first recital will take place Satur-
day afternoon. at which Mr.. John l.. APP
pie tenor, will be the soloist. Mrs. Fan
| ME At Lee Gage, soprano, is to sing on
| March l. Mrs. ]. Roberts. contralto,
| March -; Mr.. Charles Yates, basso,
| March 90.
| f.poIit;caI status of Porto RicO.D