The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-03-28

Ex-Attache in Chicago Tribune.
n PICTURESQUE ceremony of holy
I" week at Rome is that known as
the washing of the feet on
Thursday in commemoration of Christ
washing the feet of his apostles, 1t like
wise takes place on that day at the
royal palace of Madrid. and at the Hof-
burg at Vienna, on the eve Of Good Fri
day. But, whereas in the Austrian and
Spanish capitals the people whose feet
are washed by th@ sovereign are twelve
in number, In Roi the cardinal vicar
(who since 1870 tsises the place of the
pontiff In the matter invariably washes
the feet of thirteen men. The custom
of having thirteen instead of twelve poor
men to represent the apostles on this oc-
casion dated from the reign of Gregory
the Great.
According to sacred legend and popular
tradition, one Holy Thursday, when Greg
DRY the Great was engaged In washing the
feet of the twelve poor men whom he
always assembled on that day at boun-
teously spread table. he suddenly found
A thirteenth before HIM, on whose feet
were the stigma of the wounds of the
cross. and who had mysteriousy vanished
before the kneeling pontiff, completely
o, ercome by the sight, had risen to his
feet. From that time forth thirteen, In
stead of being considered unlucky, has
always been looked upon as sacred
number by the Roman Catholic church,
and more especially at Rome, and no
where Is the prejudice against the num-
Der thirteen regarded with more intol-
erance today than at the vatican.
At the Vienna Hofburg the venerable
emperor. in spite of his advanced age,
never fails on Holy Thursday to perform
in person the ceremony of washing the
feet of twelve poor men, who arrayed
in new clothes furnished by him for the
occasion, sit in line on raised dais.
After I. brief religious ceremony, the mon
arch kneels before each one in turn, and
pours on to the extended foot some tepid
rose scented water from a golden ever,
which is carried for him by the cardinal
archbishop of Vienna, while the senior
archduke present bears the golden basin.
Another high dgnitary extends to him
the embroidered towel with which he
dries each foot When the foot wash
ing is complete and the men have re-
sumed their footwear, they take their
place at bountlfully spread table, where
they are waited upon by the emperor
and the archdukes and afterwards sent
to their respective homes in court car
riages. each furnished with well filled
purse and a large basket containing dishes
prepared by the imperial chef and wines
from the imperial cellar.
In England the custom of washing the
feet on Holy or Maundy Thursday was
retained until the close of the reign of
King James H. the last Roman Catholic
sovereign of Great Britain. Since that
time the washing of the feet has been
abandoned but sixty-six poor men and
sixty-six poor women, their number CORE
spending to the number of years OF the
sovereign. will assemble in Westminster
abbey on Thursday to receive gifts of
money In the name of the monarch and
known as the Royal Maundy. The men
get on an average of s26 and the women
$50 all in brand new coins of the realm
and contained in old fashioned red and
white kid purses.
At the principal Protestant courts of
Europe the old fashioned custom of max
ing Easter the occasion for great civic,
political and ceremonial amenities has
fallen into disuse. and save at the court
of Berlin the day differs but little from
ordinary Sundays. At Berlin. however.
Easter day is inaugurated by the trump
H..
who with their great silver clarions, her.
aid the advent of this great festival of
the church by means of Luther's grand
Easter choral. They take their place
for the occasion on the tower of the
imperial palace at Berlin, and the clear.
metallic notes of their trumpets resound