West Virginia daily oil review. [volume] (Sistersville, W. Va.) 1894-1902, 1902-03-19
HOLY WEEK Will
BEGIN IN CHURCHES
With Palm Sunday - Solemn
Ceremony Of Blessing.
DISTRIBUTION OF PALMS
Catholic and Episcopal Churches Will
Observe the Week with Solemn and
Impressive Ceremony.

Holy week will begin In the
churches with next Sunday, and
services of unusuallsolemnity.w he
held In the week preceding Easter
Sunday. 1t Is the last week In Lent
and Is called Holy week because
then the church celebrates the mys-
teries of the passion of Our Lord
by imposing ceremonies and un-
usual solemnity. The faithful spend
1t In piety, recollections and pen
ance. The Catholic and Episcopal
churches observe the week with
elaborate ceremony.
DISTRIBUTION OF PALMS.
The ceremony of the distribution
of palms Is 70 celebrate the trium
phant entry of Our Lord into Jeru-
salem, In the midst of the people
who carried palm branches In their
hands and threw them on the
ground before Him. The object
of the ceremony Is to teach the
faithful that before the coming of
Jesus Christ, the portals of heaven
were closed, and could be opened
only by the merits of His passion
and cross.
The history of the passion Is &C
cordiug to the Gospel of St. Mat
thew; on Tuesday according to ST.
Mark; on Wednesday accor ding TO
St. Luke, and on Good Friday &C.
cording to St. John.
On Wednesday evening and the
two following days, the Office of the
Tenebrae Is given. 1t Is really that
of Mathis and Is given In remem-
brance of former times, when they
were sung at night; for the word
Tenebrae means darkness. The
vestments worn are purple in color.
The Triangular candlestick, Is used
during the Tenebrae, on which are
burning fifteen candles of yellow
wax, which are extinguished one
after each psalm. This ceremony
Is a vestige of ancient custom and
is sign of mourning. They rep
resent the Apostles one after
another In abandoning Our Lord;
the last one which remains alone
and Is carried, still lighted, repre-
sents Our Lord. who Is soon to dis.
appear full of glory and of light In
His Resurrection. The noise given
at the end of the ceremony is to re-
call the disorder In which nature
was thrown at the death of the
Savior.
BLESSED SACRAMENT.
On Holy Thursday the Catholic
church celebrates the institution of
Blessed sacrament. A solemn high
mass Is the only mass of the day
The ceremony Is very beautiful
and represents the Savior sur
rounded by his Apostles, to whom
He gave holy communion, with
His own hands at the last supper,
the first of all masses.
On Good Friday the ceremonies
are the most solemn and most sor
rowful. The altar Is completely
despoiled of Its usual adornments,
the sanctuary lamp and candles
are extinguished, the tabernacle Is
open, the bells are rung. The Gel.
ebrant and his assistants PROSTATE
themselves, their faces to the
ground, upon the steps of the al
tar. and pray In a low voice for a
few minutes. This Is a reminder
that the Offices of the day could
not better be begun than by show.
Ing confusion at the sight of the
sins and humbly begging Gods
pardon for them.
The Bishop will be here on the
evening of Good Friday to confirm
a class In the St. Paul Episcopal
church In this city.