The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-04-11
CHURCHES OBSERVE
THE HOLY DAY
Ceremony Of the dwelling
Of the Cross Very Solemn
and Impressive.
Behold the wood of the cross!"

Behold the wood Of the cross!"
All the Catholic churches of the
world yesterday resounded with those
words, for on Good Friday all interest
and contemplation centerS about the
crucifiX.
In the old st. Paul Cathedral the
scene was particularly impressive. The
altar, stripped of it's ornaments, the
silence of the bells. the Vestments of
mourning in the sanctuary and the
sadness of each COUntenance told of
the great anniversary of sorrow.
Everything spoke, symbolically, of
loss and desolation. The cross, which
was yelled on Passion Sunday in
commemoration of the day upon which
Christ went into hiding from his enc
mics, was unveiled yesterday-sym-
bolical of the first glimmering of hope
given to his disciples of the reSurrec-
ton.
The ceremony consists of holding tho
cross aloft and stripping from the up
per portion, as far as the arm. the
veil which had hidden it, the priest
eXclaiming, "Ecce lignum crusis!"
This, as the officiating priests recede
with the cross into the farther sane
tuary, is repeated again and again,
each time in a louder voice than the
last
The cross is then placed upon a
cushion and all the world is invited to
come and adore, "Venite adoremus!"
All Friday it remains in full view Of
all corners, and about it concenterS all
the grief, sorrow, hope and faith of the
day.
There is no mass said on Good Fri
day, the only day of the year when
this is the case, the ceremony which
takes it's place is termed the mass Of
the DreSanctified.
The elevation at the pater is made
with the right hand only, to distinguish
it from the ordinary form; nothing on
this day must resemble other days.
The prayer, Liberia nos, is, on Good
Friday, said aloud. to celebrate the de-
scent of Christ into Limbo and the de-
iverance of the souls which were de-
tanned there.
Minnesota stands unique In the
Union as being the only state in which
an act of the legislature has made
Good Friday a legal holiday. Notwith-
standing this fact, however. it is very
little observed as legal day of re-
framing from labor. and possibly, with
the exception of the closing of the
banks and railroad offices yesterday,
the only observance of the anniVer
sary of the cross was that of reli-
gious holy day.
In all the Catholic churches of the
city, the chief feature of the services
was the singing of THE Lamenta-
tons"
At st. Luke's, Victoria and Portland
Rev. Father Ambrose McNulty preach
ed on THE Sacrifice of the Cross" and
at the Cathedral Rev. Father Dolphin
delivered discourse on the same
theme.
Today. at the singing of the Gloria, u
the bells that have been silent since
| the, singing Of the Gloria on Maundv
Thursday, will ring out again, and the
affairs that were stripped of their vest
ments, flowers. lights and ornaments
will be decked anew. The New Fire
will be blessed in commemoration OF
'the passing away of things that are
old and the coming of things that are
new"
Tonight, at the Church of st. John
the Evangelist. Stainer's "Crucifixion'
will be sung by vestured choir OF
fifty voices, under the direction OF
Prof. F'airclough.