The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-04-12
Primitive Observances Of the Sea-
son I'm Regions Removed from
High Civilization.
DEEPLY RELIGIOUS FEELING
TRADITIONAL RITES OF A THOUSAND
YEARS AGO FOLLOWED.
After Prayer and Fasting and PEN
ance the People Indulge In Feast
ing and Merriment.

High on the Galilean hills, and over the
undulating wales of Palestine the soft car
pet Of verdure is rolling out in never-tiring.
never-ending sequence, folded across the
cobalt blue of an Eastern sky like huge
drop-curtain of nature, sheltering the
understanding groves of mastic, while the
obliQue caress of white sun sets the whole
landscape aglow with color. From high UP
in their mountain homes the keepers of
flocks are descending to the plain, bringing
with them the willing tribute of the best
of their store, and abasing themselves with
penitential prayers and pastoral humility.
For the season Of Eastertide is at hand, and
the Christian shepherds, as is their yearly
wont, are gathering in the hills and wales of
the Holy Land to perform the quaint cere-
monial rites which have been observed for
centuries, almost since the birth Of Chris
tianity itself.
Among the Christian natives Of the Holy
Land the observance of the Easter season
is particularly impressive. The gradual
encroachments of time have dealt with le-
nient hand with tradition, and the people
of to-day follow the same customs and OBJ
serve the same rites as did those of a thou
sand years ago. The full season Of prayer
and penance commences full month be-
fore Easter day. Then, forsaking their
herds and pastures. the homely and simple
living peasants of the country flock to the
large towns and villages when they are
possible Of access, or at some spot hal
lowed by centuries Of similar associations,
and there renew and fortify the strength
of their faith. In the larger towns the
has I'm Of
its former beauty Of whole-souled simplic-
ity and touching devoutness. but in the
wilder portions, where the mist of CEN
turtles long gone by hangs low. it may yet
be observed. carried out by the meek-eyed,
bare-breasted and manufacturing shep-
herds in all its pastoral quaintness of con-
ception.
AS the season of penance draws nigh,
the holy men of the different villages and
encampments clothe themselves in the
toughest of garments. and. denying them
selves all save enough to keep body and
soul together, wander over the face of
the country, visiting the small peasant
villages and toiling over the rugged noun
tain sleeps, carrying the WORD OF hope and
salvation and exhorting all to prepare
themselves for the season of fasting and
standardization. On their arrival the
patriarch of the camp or village well
comes them with the grave courtesy &C
corded to old age in the East, and having
bathed their feet and received blessings
on his flocks. he summons his young men
to scour the country and surrounding dis
tricts to gather together the remainder of
the tribe and to select the best sheep Of his
flock for the sacrifice that is to take place.
THE PENITENTIAL SEASON.
The youthful couriers are blessed by
the holy man and depart on their mission,
and. according to the distance which they
are obliged to go, return In two or three
days with those shepherds far removed
from a knowledge Of what is passing in
the great world near to them. During
the absence Of the young men on this
quest the holy man Is preparing himself
for the great ceremony by rigorous sea-
son Of fasting, isolating himself at some
high elevation, scourging the body and
seeking to purify the soul for the great
work intrusted to him. AT the end of the
second or third day he returns from his
lonely vigil and barely satisfies hunger
with a few dates and a small quantity
Of goats milk.
The moment for the first ceremony Of the
great penitential season has arrived. On
the appointed day the entire village-men,
women and children-having passed full
some spot on the hillside near to a stream
of running water, marching in long process
sions over the face of the country, bearing
aloft on the ends of long sticks little
images Of Christ, while others carry on
de hacl 80 fr,,{<
ferings Slowly preceding the group comes
the holy man, leading the two sacrificial
lambs and singing an improvised chant,
calling on all to turn from their evil ways
and live upright and spotless lives to the
end that abundance and plenty may be
theirs during the coming season. Ever in
creasing his song in vigo-, his religious
frenzy is communicated to his followers.
and in a moment the vast assemblage takes
| up the refrain and echoes 1t across hill and
plain and mountain top. causing the low
ing herds Of cattle and fiocks Of meek-eyed
sheep to stand in silent amazement
Arrived at the consecrated spot, the wor-
shippers gather together in respectful ST.
lence around the holy man, who, taking
| the patriarchs of the village, leads them
| to the nearby stream, where they are to
be cleansed of all sin and wickedness, so
that they may be worthy to join in the
devout function of sacrifice that is to fol-
low. The person to be ceansed from
| iniquity is seized upon by the priest and
several of the bystanders. and. held by the
| feet and legs, is dropped into the stream
head first and immersed under water for
several moments. Meanwhile prayers are
being chanted by the surrounding wor-
shippers, craving the washing of his soul
into absolute purity.
When the patriarchs and head men have
thus been purified. they are ordered to
| seize the lambs intended for sacrifice and
wash them in a similar manner in the
! stream. The animals are then stretched
on the improvised altar and sacrificed by
| the holy man with the sacred knife that
has been used. in some instances, for CEN
turtles. The warm blood is caught in re-
| ceptacles and passed round the surrounding
group for each to moisten the lips; mean
while the flesh of the animal is blessed and
subsequently roasted. A small piece of
this flesh is passed to each one, to be
sealed In a small box and placed over the
| entrance Of each dwelling or tent until
! after Christmas day. insuring those 20 pro-