The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1906-04-14


musician. Then came boys and men
dressed in deepest black, heads and
faces covered except their eyes. On
their shoulders We're crimson capes
fastened with heavy cords and tasscls
After them came priests chanting and
bearing bier on their heads. On the
bier was life-size recumbent figure
OF Christ With the crown of thornes.
After these came more priests, men
and boys i'll fantastic costumes, repre-
Senting the guard, the centurions. exc
cutioncrs. Pontius Plate the Apostles
and even Judas. Some were on un-
shod horses and moved noiselcssly. All
chanted dirge. They also carried
slaves and poles, with swinging lam
terms or tall candles, all lighted, and
each bore some emblem of the passion
and death of Christ, the cross, the
ladder, the hammer. the bloody nap
kin, sponge, ETC., and at the end of the
procession was borne erect upon a gilt
pedestal a figure of the Madonna.
dressed in mourning, with crown and
q widows veil. The streets We're bril-
liantly Illuminated. All the balconies
We're filled with lighted lamps. In one
we counted seventeen exactly alike
with large globes. At some OF the
houses colored lights We're burned. AS
the procession passed everybody knelt.
Sorrento is a small place, so the pro-
cession marched up and down, up and
down, over the same route for two
hours. the band playing and the priests
and men chanting their mournful dirge.
The most interesting service that We
attended in Rome on Good Friday was
at San Marcella, on the Corso. in the
evening. when Palestina's "Stabat
Mater" was given with an orchestra
and a quartet of grand opera singers.
There was an immense crowd. and it
was a difficult matter to get inside the
church. The altar was completely
concealed by scenery representing CAL
vary, with the three crosses, Jerusalem
in the distance. The chancel had the
effect of Il stage, ON which was 4 wood
en- model of the tomb Of the Saviour.
Standing by it was q figure of the Ma
donna. dressed in red and blue. Lamps
We're arranged like footlights. The
music was very beautiful. Interspcrsed
through it were the usual seven
words" or talks of the priests. The
service lasted until almost midnight,
and when we came out we found the
street a solid mass of people, The res
taurants and cafes were crowded, for
it had been a long, full day and some
sustenance was needed at the end of ii.
Formerly there was compulsory bap-
tism of u certain number of Jews on
Good Friday. The rite was performed
in a great basaltic vase in the Church
Of st. John I.ateran, the same vase in
which Rienzi bathcd in 1347 before re-
ceiving the insignia Of knighthood.
Holy Saturday ceremonies begin very
early with the striking from flint Of
the new fire with which to freshly light
the lamps and incense. A triple cam
die, fastened to il reed. lighted from
this fire is carried up the church by /:
deacon, who chants three times the
words. 'Lumen Christi" During the
morning celebration of the mass just
before the Gloria, the guns of st. An
gelo are fired. the bells of the four
hundred churches of Rome. which have
been tied and mute since Thursday, are
loosened and all ring out jubliantly,
with wondrously beautiful effect. the
organ peals forth and GLORY to God
i, the Highest" IS sung in every church.
This service. when we saw it, was pre-
| ceded by baptisms in the baptistry Of
ST Peters. Afterwards there was a
| curious and interesting procession
through the length of the Church of
cardinals. priests and pilgrims Of every
! nation. We noted many Russian and
picturesque national costumes. All
knelt with upliftcd faces while the
sacred relics were displayed in bal
| cony far above them.
In the afternoon there was Il service
| in San Nicolo da Tolentino. chanted by
| Armenians. accompanied by sounding
\ brass and tinkling cymbals. The priests
! and deacons wore gorgeous robes bril-
liant with scarlet, orange and purple,
! reseda green, pink and gold. The
priests stood in a semicircle in the
chancel. and at one point in the service
each turned to his right hand neighbor,
embraced him and kissed his shoulder.
Their chanting was wild and weird.
| Saturday afternoon the parish priest
goes around from house to house to
bless it and it's inhabitants. The priest
goes first. followed by Il boy carrying
a silver vessel holding the holy water;
then the master Of the house. followed
by the servants. They go first to the
salon, where water is sprinkled in four
directions, the priest saying: Bless, O
Lord! this place, that in it may be
health, chastity, victory, virtue, hu-
mility. goodness, sweetness, the full
ness of law and thanksgiving, and may