Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-03-30
Closing Week of Lenten Period
Calls For Nest Solemn
Obligation
THIS IS SPY WEDNESDAY
Ceremonies In Catholic Church Are
Most Impressive From Now Until the
Glad Easter Morn-Priests of the
Deanery Will Assist Very Rev. Len
ihan-Servioes of the Week.


the Catholic church The few days
preceding Lent are the most sacred of
the entire Lenten period, and from Spy
Wednesday until the bells ring out the
glad Easter morn solemn high mass
will be given each day. The ceremonies
at st. Mary's church will be most I'M
pressive and aside from mass. which
will be said Zach morning, beginning at
$3.50, another service VIII be held in the
evening at 1880. Very Rev. Father
LenIhan will be assisted by the priests
Of the Marshalltown deanery, over
which he presides.
This evening the Spy Wednesday SER
vice Will be in charge OF Rev. Dennis
Lundon, pastor of the Church of she
Sacred Heart. st. Anthony. On Holy
Thursday Rev. +. j. Carroll, OF Tama,
will deliver the sermon, and on Good
Friday Rev. Father Francis Renter, of
Anes, will preach. Every Catholic Is
expected to spend at least one hour be-
fore this Blessed Sacrament on Holy
Thursday, as ii was ON this day that
Christ instituted the Holy Eucharist.
This is the week In which nearly every
Catholic goes to confession, for 1t is
the law OF the church that some time,
between the first Sunday in Lent and
the first Sunday after Easter all must
go to confession and receive holy COM
munion, under the penalty of excom-
munication. and in nearly all of the Cit
les the members OF the church take
Holy Week as the time to attend to
this solemn devotion.
The week preceding Easter has been
known by several names--the Great
Week Holy Week, Painful Week and
the Week of Sorrow. The chief object
of the church Is to commemorate the
passion ana death of her rsdeemer.
The church's offices are more solemn
and more multiplied in this week than
any other during the entire year.
The services OF the tenebrae are the
saddest Of the week. Tenebrae, mean
ing darkness, is pictured by the grad
ual darkening of the church, the more
than natural darkness that darkened
the world upon the death OF Jesus. The
tabernacle stands open, the blessed
sacrament having been removed. The
veil of the tabernacle, flowers and all
other ornaments are gone. Nothing re-
mains on the alter except the yelled
crietfix md the six candies. Tonight
when the first service Will be held, VIII
be Sung the tenebrae OF Thursday In
preparation for the mass and office of
Maundy Thursday On Thursday even
ling will be sung the antici-
patton of the office OF Good
Friday. and on Friday evening
will be sung the preparation for the
office and mass of Easter eve. In the
early days all of the offices of the tene-
brae were begun at midnight, but GUS
tom has privileged an earlier hour in
order that more may be present.
Maundy Thursday in spite of the
mourning of Holy Week. is a day of
joy. The church lays aside her mourn
ing, at least during the celebration of
the holy mass, and the altar is decked
with the richest ornaments. The vest
ments OF white are worn, denoting joy
and gladness. The holy communion. in
memory of the last supper which was
instituted on Thursday is received,
unleavened bread being used. Gloria
in Excelsis" Is sung, but the organ is
not heard again until Holy Saturday.
at the Saviors death.
On Good Friday the offering of the
holy sacrifice of the mass is suspended
to commemorate in this solemn way
the sacrifice that was offered on Cal
vary. Good Friday is the day of the
church's widowhood. The sanctuary is
altogether bare and unadorned. Moth
ing remains but the crucifix, yelled in
black, and the six canaiesticks. The
candles are not even lighted until the
latter part of the service. Supplica
ton and petition enter into the service
to large degree, intercession being
made with God for all classes and con-
ditions of men. The celebrant sings
eight prayers, each of which is pre-
faced by a few words to show it's OBJ
ject. The Unwilling of the cross is one
Of the most solemn parts of the service
and oil kneel to pay their homage to
the sign of redemption The mass of
the -sanctified is the last of the
days services.
On Good Friday the veneration Of the
cross will occur, and on this day also
all Catholics are expected to partici
Iate in the services during some por
ton of the day A piece of the true
cross. which is the property of Dean
Lehman. is always on the altar on this
one day of the year. where the devout
may press their lips to the little piece
of wood that came from the tree on
which Christ was nailed when he died
for the sins of mankind. On Good Fri
day all of the visiting priests will as
sist in the services.
Holy Saturday is In sense the
birthday of the church, and is day of
blessings A fire, kindled by a flint a
the entrance of the church. is blessed
after which the candles, extinguished
or Good Friday, are reighted. A triple
candle. personifying the three persons
Of the adorable trinity, is taken to the
sanctuary, where the great Paschal
candle is lighted. This candle stand
ing up like a pillar, represents both the
pillar of fire that went before the peo-
pie of God during their wanderings in
the wilderness, and the new born glory
of Jesus, risen from the grave. The
vestments are again white, Gloria" is
sung, the organ Is again heard and
the bells ring out the glad Easter-tide.
At st. Paui's.
Holy week services at St Pauls will
be conducted by the rector, Rev. Will
lam Pence James, daily at $50 in the
morning and $50 in the evening. On
Good Friday, in addition to the regu
lar services, meditation on the seven