The Saint Paul globe., 1903-04-10
CHURCH is DRAPED IN
CONDIGN SORROW
TO-DAY
Most Impressive Services
Will Be Held in the Roman
Catholic Church on Good
Friday Other Ceremonials
Will Take Place on Holy
Saturday.

holiest of days in the observance Of
the Roman Catholic church. So deep
is the grief of the church that the Of
fering of the salutary is forbidden, and
consequently there is no mass included
in the services of the day.
The entire church presents an ap-
pearance of sorrow and penance; the
altar is stripped of it's ornaments, and
the sanctuary is draped in black. The
benches are uncovered and the candles
are all yellow in color.
The service of today consists of four
parts: First, the lessons and the pas
sion; secondly, the prayers; the ven-
Grafton of the cross and the mass of
the presanctified.
In the Veneration Of the cross the
church embraces the whole universe
in her charity, and then invites her
children to an act of solemn repara-
ton, which is the veneration of the
cross upon which the most precious
blood was poured forth.
This holy ceremony was instituted at
Jerusalem in the fourth century. The
celebrant first takes off his chasuble,
the badge of priesthood, in order that
the reparation which he is the first to
offer to an outraged Christ, may be
made with all possible humility. Stand
ing on the step near the epistle side of
the altar, with his face turned to the:
people, he receives the cross from. the
deacon, and unveiling the upper part
as FAR as the arms, he raises it and
sings the words
"Ecce lignum crucisl" "Behold the
wood of the cross!" Then, Joined by
the deacon and the subdeacon, he con-
tlnues On which hung the salvation
or the World!" and the people kneel
down and venerate the cross while the
choir sings: ''Venite adoremus,"
Come, let us adore"
Chant the Reproaches.
every stage gathers in dramatic in
tensity until is reached that part
known as "the reproaches." These
reproacheS are chants sung by the
clergy, and are among the most beau
t1ful and ancient of the services of the
Roman Catholic church. At the end of
each reproach is sung the trisagion In
Doth Latin and Greek, Holy God, Holy
strong One, Holy Immortal have mer-
cy upon u.s." AT this juncture of the
services the candles are lighted and
the deacon spreads a corporal upon
the altar upon which the blessed sacra.
ment is to be placed. Then follows a
procession to the chapel, in which the
HOST consecrated the day before, has
peen placed. The deacon takes the
challce containing the Host and places
1t upon the altar. The priest. having
adored the blessed sacrament. takes
the chalice and proceeds in solemn
procession to the high altar. During
the procession the triumphant hymn of
the cross. "VeX1lla Regis" is sung.
Holy Saturday.
To understand the services Of Holy
Saturday it is necessary to recall the
TACT that for nearly a thousand years
the discipline Of the Latin church for
if1cr Of
holy mass on holy Saturday as well as
Good Friday, in remembrance of the
time When the body of our Lord Law
l1feless in the tomb.
The object of the whole services on
Holy Saturday is the baptism of the
Catachumens, and all the ceremonies
converge toward this end. The office
comprises, first, the blessing of the new
nre and the incense; second, the bless
ing OF the paschal candle; third the
prophecies; fourth, the blessing of the
font; fifth, the litanies, and, sixth. the
mass terminating with the vespers
Not until the eleventh century was
the mass allowed to be said on Holv
Saturday, instead of the night preced-
ing Holy, or Easter, Sunday.
Maundy Thursday.
Thursday of Holy week is called
Maundy Thursday from the "maunda-
tum,' or precept, the first word Of the
antiphon. "a new commandment l give
unto YOU 1t commentaries the insti-
tuition of the blessed sacrament at the
last supper, or paSch, eaten by Jesus
with His apostles. The ceremonies are
divided into four distinct parts The
first Is the reconciliation of penitence.
and the chief part Is the blessing of the
holy oils.
The blessing of the oils can only be
witnessed in cathedral churches, as
only bishop can eonsecrate the oils
used during the year in the adminis-
tration of the sacraments. There are
three of these oils, the first is the "oil
Of the SICK" and is used in the admin
lStratfon of the sacrament of extreme
JUNCTION. The second is the Sacred
Chism, used in the conservation of
bishops, dedication of churches and
blessing of bells, etc. The third is the
Oil Of Catechumens, which is of apos-
tolic institution, and is used in the Ger
emonies of baptism, for the ordination
Of priest or the coronation of a king
or queen.
In no ceremony, and upon no other
occasion does the church use such
pomp and splendor as in the blessing
of these oils. The vestments used are
OF the richest and rarest of silks, beau
TRULY and artistically embroidered hv
hand, each chasuble, dalmatic and t1nic
Dearlng different device and all skill
fully Wrought. After the blessing has
been conferred the bishop salutes tha
oil, saying, Hail, o holy Oil" heinz
followed In this act of reverence hy
each of the priests. The procession
forming again, the oil is carried to tha
SacriSty