The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1906-04-14
At This Season the Ceremonies of the Cath
olic Church Are Particularly Grand
and Impressive.
Every Feature of the Services Typifies Some
Event in the Life of Christ or in
Church History.

one left lighted was concealed signifies
that death could not really obtain do
minion over Christ.
At the end of this service is a clap
ping with a wooden clapper on board
or book is symbolic of the confusion
at Christs death, while at the same
time the clerk exposes the candle he
had hidden to show that the Saviours
death and sacrifice saved the world
from utter darkness. After this an ad-
ditional host in silver chalice is con-
secrated and borne in procession to q
place prepared for it. The priests and
attendants chant as they bear it away,
and the place where it is left is decor
ated with flowers and lights.
After this the altars are stripped to
typify Christ's garments being stripped
from Him. In ST. Peters they used to
wash the altar with wine. The strip
ping OF the altars is at the present day
followed by the washing of the feet Of
twelve propaganda students instead Of
those of twelve beggars, as formerly.
The Office is performed by the principal
priest, deacon and sub-deacon. Each
wears large white apron. The rite
is simply dipping a small napkin in
a basin OF water held by an attendant
and wiping the top OF the students
foot
On this day, Holy Thursday, the
chapels in all the churches are brill
iantly Illuminated and laid out as gar
in gas jets in the midst, or sometimes
| 4 figure of Christ.
A few years ago when we We're in
Rome ON Holy Thursday we saw Queen
Margherita and her suite going from
one of the seven principal churches Of
the city to another remaining in each
for Il few moments Of silent prayer. We
followed her scarlet liveries from
church to church. We were told that
she had declared she would gladly go
on her knees from the Quirinal to the
Vatican to be reconciled with the Holy
Father.
On this day all the bells in the Ro-
! man churches are tied and are not rung
| again until Saturday noon. During
| the celebration Of the mass the oils for
amounting are blessed by the bishop,
| assisted by seven deacons and twelve
| priests, all vested in white. Three va
| rites of oil are consecrated. The first
is the oil used in baptisms in conse-
crating churches and affairs in Or
daining priests and in blessing and
| crowning sovereigns. The second is
for extreme JUNCTION. administer to the
| dying. The third is the sacred chrism
of Oil and the balm Of Gilead used in
the conservation Of bishops. patens and
chalices and the blessing of bells. Dur
ing the conservation the bishop
breathes three times in the form of a
| cross over the vessel as do also the
twelve priests, saying. Hail. holy
Chrism." after which all kiss the yes
sci.
| Formerly the beating or whacking
heard now only at the Tenebrae serv-
ices, went on all day in the streets of
Rome, pedestrians frequently receiving
it on their backs. The small Roman
revelled in this privilege. as the small
American does in those of Halloween
In some parts of Italy early Good
Friday morning. before sunrise, the
peasants go out bearing the figure OF
Il Madonna. clad in white, to search
for her Son. After sundown they re-
turn, bringing her back dressed in
deepest mourning and with figure oi
the dead Christ on a bier.
Good Friday is the only day in the
year on which it is forbidden to cele-
brate mass, and on that day the Pope
neither wears his ring nor gives his
blessing. .....
At the beginning of the days services
a black draped cross is exposed tc
view. Soon after the altar is drapeG
in white. The last miserere is sung.
In Sorrento we saw very interest
ing procession in the evening. Firs1
came large band of musicians play.
ing dead march. BY the side Of each
player walked a boy carrying a pole