The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-03-24
BLESS PALMS IN
CHURCHES. TODAY.
:, - ~
Holy Week Begins With Com
lncnoration of Entry Of Saviour
Into Jerusalem.
TO HOLD SOLEMN SERVICES i; B ':''
Father Rankin Describes Tenc'
brac tohBc Sung at New
Cathedral.
TO HOLD SOLEMN SERVICES.

Holy Week, Closing ittlc lIclltcH fs'@'
son, is II period Of deepest devotion
among churcsmen OF almost every de-
nomlnation especially the Catholics,
IlIpiscopu,iuns und Luthorans
!. Palm Suntny. which is celebrated TO-
/ day, commentaries the triumphnl en-
larry OF the Mcssiuh into Jerusalem,
j when the people strcwcd the SaViolr,s
hath with palm branches, crying, sHo-
4 sannn TO tho Son Of David The BLESS
ling Of tho Palms Is one Of tho pccu-s
5lliurly mprossIvcfnn beautiful services
4 of the Catholic Church, aud Will be
A observed iii al! tile sunctuarics tl''s
4 morning.
Events of Week.
z The chief days Of tho week are Spy
q Wednesday,. Maundy or Holy Thursday.
: Good Friday aud holy Saturday The
. first IS named us a commcmory or tho
treachery ofsJudas iscartot, u betraying
Ills Master, IS it is unders(Sod that at
this time he was venturinS upon mo
deed which was contaminated OIL
Thursday night.
hlanndy Thursday is named from thu
word "nlandatum," which commences
one Of the church services OF that day
Which is sung In commomoration Of
tho washing by Christ OF the feet OF
4
NIaundy Thursday 1t is tho custom Of
tho Pope to wash the feet of thirteen
POOR people. ST. Paul having been
raised to the apostlashlp. the number
included in that body Is therefore con-.
, sidercd as thirteen. Tho custom Of
washing the feet OF poor people or of
pilgrims is an old one. as Il Is referred
to by st. Augustine In many OF his
writings. In many cases It was ac-
: companied by the distribution OF doles
to bcg8s,rs.
The Messiah washed the feet of His
apostles at the Last Supper, when tho
!, is the later event that Mandy Thurs
/ day chiefly commentaries.
, Solemn Services.
: Good Friday Is the most solemn OF
!. all the days OF lIoly Week. comrnenl-
\ Grating. as 1t does, the orucfixion OF
. the Christ. The affairs OF houses Of
$ worship are denuded thnt day to Sig
: Nifty the desolation Of the church.
One Of the most solemn services OF
Holy Week in the Catholic churches
is the chanting Of the Tenebrae. which
!, Friday. During this ONCE large
). candlcstick is placed near the altar
II bearing fifteen tapers disposed In q
$ triangle and representing the light OF
% Christ and Of tho prophets who had
announced his coming. AS the psalms
of the Office are sung tho tnpers are
: cxtlnguished until only tho top one re.
mains. This is taken down during tils
= Misercre and CARRIED behind the altar
g to signify tie temporary extinction
/, of the light OF Christ between His
= death and resurrection.
:: Holy Saturday Is a day of mourning
$. and waiting. It commentaries the de-
ID scent Of Chrlst's soul into limbo, while
y His body rests In the grave, Its prin
h cipal ceremonies are the solemn bless
ing OF fire and Of the water of thu
!, bantlsmal font. from the fire that i
- blessed on that day Is lighted TIL
~ | pa scllal light, which is regarded az
"a symbol OF Christ risen from the dead
SO and this symboljcal light Is kept burn
ing throughout the interval between
Easter and Pentecost.
% Palm branches will be distributed Il
~ the congregations Of the different Gath
AZ olic churches of the city at high mas
Ia this orning.
Description Of Tenebrae.
81 Father Thomas a. Rankin, who vii
n conduct the chanting Of the Tenebra
&c at the sacred Heart Cathedral, yester
duy furnished tho following statemen
I. to Tie Times Dispatch With regar
-. to that interesting service:
One OF the most striking character
- Of human nature is to give outwar
expression by words and slgEs OF Il,
interior sentiments OF the soul. Til
Is true. not only OF individuals. bl
Of whole nations a $ well. On da;
OF great 10Y, such az national holiday
flags arc hoisted and salutes 1iret
whilst on days Of sorrow. flags droo
ut mid staff, and on our public built
!, ings arc drapod In mourning. Among!
y religious organizations nore recog
nlzsA SO well the usefulness OF til
symbolism. none uses It to such az
vantage as the Catholic Church.
Each. year she celebrates the my
tories Of the death. burial and resu
yectlon OF Christ, lwitllS most suEg eatl,
ceremonial. On Passion Sunday 81
/. puts on her garments of mournin
"a every statue and ,crucihex In ha
:oS churches being, concealed by purp
~. wells. On Pulm. or next Sunday. 81
TTT concentrates tile triumphai entry
. Christ into Jerusalem by the dIstrib,
iii tion OF the Blessed Palms,
iii hut the most striking services OF &
III ist the commenoration Of His dea
and burial. This service, common
called the "TeHsbrae," takes place
The nun ra "Ten ebrae,' a Lat
word. signlfylng darkness" Is civ!
to this part Of the office from the 81
cumstance OF extinguishing. during t
iii course OF w ulh Llo S,tiHAleS uAtu }A9 y
which hayh been prepared tn III
sanctuary Tor the ceremony.
III Tho Office consists each night
eleven psalms three lamentations Al
Tie cnnticle Of Zachary, nearly al
III which breathe Nothing but sighs ~
and 4f1fteen on Triangular candl
!; III stick burning at the bsglnning OF t
III once. signify the Tights Of fai th ! !
were preached by the profits pnq Jea
I'll Christ.
III AZ the end Of Gael, psalm, Or lament
III lion. one by one, tho fourteen afand
on the triangle ars ex t1pgnished. and q
ms the Canticle Of Zachary the GA 2
on the altar, and nearly all 81 the ligl
In the church nre put qvt to ', teacn
that the enemies Of the sAYloMr "
totally deprived Of faith when they
Him to death. But tho iifteenth cane
e syn,bolizing Christ, the f1dght OF
World Is only hidden for ~ time pen 3,
/ a Ak,.,A all t1n