The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-05-06
OBSERVED
BY GREEK COLONY
Yesterdays Ceremonies Fitting
Climax to Those of Week
GREEKS BUY NEW CHURCH
VIII Take Possession of Simpson Edi-
flee May 2o-ereek Church Has
About One Hundred Million
Adherents.
GREEKS BUY NEW CHURCH

! Yesterday was Greek Easter, and the
Greek colony of Birmingham celebrated
1t with fitting ceremonies. Holy week
services began Sunday, April d, and con
tinued every night. The ceremonies We're
very impressive.
| Commemorative exercises of Christ's en-
| try into Jerusalem were held Sunday of
last week. and were similar to Palm Sun
day. On Thursday night the Sacred
Banquet of Christ and the Twelve Apos
ties was essentially the same as the
commemoration of the eucharist.
On Friday night the conception service
was held and g representation of the
burial of Christ in the tomb was most
solemn scene.
The tomb had a base about four feet
high and arches crossed each other over
the top. The base and arches were COW
cred completely with lilies of the valley.
roses and carnations, making design of
exquisite beauty. The figure of Christ
was inferred in the tomb, the services be-
ing deeply symbolic. Yesterday the re-
surrection of Christ was commemorated,
and the ceremonies were fitting climax
to those that had been held during the
week
The Greeks continue to use the Julian
calendar, which accounts for their East
er coming at a later date than that of
western Christendom. Although the
Gregorian calander was adopted by most
of the civilized nations a century or two
ago. Greece, Russia, Roumania, Servia
and Monfanroro no
Julian. In the Julian calendar Easter
never comes earlier than in the Gregoran.
Last year, however, witnessed one of
those unusual things which will some
times occur, In that Easter in both cal
endars fell on the same day.
The Greek church is similar to the
Roman Catholic in many respects, but It's
ltenys and rites are mere primitive. The
titular head of the church is the patriarch
of Constantinople There are four lesser
patriarchs who are located in Jerusalem,
Damascus, Antiochia and Alexandria,
Egypt. These patriochs are In charge of
metropolitans and bishops, who in turn
are in charge of the priests. Russia,
while practically the largest part of the
Greek church., has no patriarch of juris-
diction but is governed by a holy synod
and is In charge of a metropolitan.
| 1t is regarded as strange that the head
of this church should be located in a
Mohammedan country, but Constantine
pie was the head of the church before
| the Turks captured it and it has con-
tinued to remain as such, although it has
been prosecuted constantly by the Mo-
hammedans, The present patriarch or
ecumenical, is known as Iookeim the
Third.
The Greek church, including Russians,
has about 100, 900, 900 adherents. 1t and the
Roman Catholic church had a formal
schism in the eleventh century, and have
been two distinct organiza tions ever since.
The law Of celibacy prevails among the
hierarchy of the Greek communion. but
| a married man is allowed to become a
secular priest. He cannot, however. rise
| above his position as priest, and should
| his wife die he is not permitted to mar
| ry again.
| The Greek congregation OF Birmingham
has purchased the Simpson church edi-
| fee, on the corner of Avenue C and
! Nineteenth street and will assume possess
sion on May 20.