The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1908-12-02
DANCE in CHURCH
CURIOUS SURVIVAL OF CUSTOM
OF THE MIDDLE AGES.
Cathedral at Seville. Spain, the Scene
Of Remarkable Ceremonial Of
Which the Origin Is Lost
In Antiquity.

Not one OF the many relics Of the
middle ages, with which Spain still
abounds. is more curious than the
dancing before the altar which takes
place every evening during the oc-
taves OF the immaculate Conception
December to 15) and Corpus Dom.
mi three days after Ascension day.
In the cathedral of Seville.
This church is the largest Gothic
cathedral in the world. 1t is lit by
no fewer than SO windows and is a
veritable museum of art, but the
| browning glory of this venerable pile
Is Its fifteenth and sixteenth century
| stained glass, the designing Of which
is upon doubtful authority ascribed
to Raphael Titan and Michael An
gelo. It is within this wonderful edi-
! fee, says the Pail Mall Gazette, that
takes place the most quaint ritual of
all Christendom.
The dance is performed by two rows
OF choristers or seises, numbering 10
or IL formerly 1t was six, wearing
plumed hats and dressed as pages Of
the time of Philip ILL.,; the colors Of
the clothes vary; for the oc-
tave of Corpus Domini they are red
and white, while blue and white are
worn during the Immaculate Concep-
ton. To the slow music of violins this
dance (Which Is a sort of minuet) is
solemnly performed. devoid Of all IT.
reverence and levity.
At the December festival the vast
church is In darkness. save for the
lights Of the high altar. and the ef-
feet Is most impressive. The chants
which the choristers break out into
merely add to the solemnity Of the &C.
casion, which IL not in the least de-
gree lessened by the sound Of the cas-
tanets the seises play. There are two
sets Of music, and they are used upon
alternate evenings. the sale Of which
is jealously guarded against by the
chapter.
A legend says this singular ritual
originated at the time of the siege Of
Seville by some boys going out to AL
Gala. where they danced before the
Moorish army. which they so delight.
ed that they were able to detain them
while the Spaniards manned the walls;
but really the origin of this dancing"
Is quite obscure.
Another interesting legend relates
that certain archbishop Of Seville
about 200 years ago wished to sup
press this ritual, but the citizens, to-
gether with the canons. gave such op.
position that there was quite a tn.
multi. and the matter was referred to
Rome. The pope Of that time wish
Ing to see the dance, the choristers
we're taken to the Eternal City, where
they performed before the head Of
Christendom. who merely laughed. but
to please the archbishop and at the
same time to appease the canons he
said the dancing might continue until
the clothes were worn OUT to avoid
this the dresses. which are of striped
silk. have always been partially re-
stored at a time. and now they bid
fair to last forever.
The other legends are connected
with the Jews Of Toledo, who formed
the only community of medieval
Europe that was not confined to a
Ghetto. with all its prosecuting regu.
lations. One Of the reasons given for
this IL that at the time of the cruel
fxion, or a little before. the Sanhe-
drin Of Jerusalem sent around to all
the Jewish colonies asking whether
or not the Christ was the long expect
ed Messiah, and the Jews of this city
were the only ones who returned an
Affirmative answer, for which they re-
ceived their freedom.
Another legend says the cause of
this singular circumstance was that
when the Christians endeavored to
confine these Jews to q Ghetto the lat.
ter proved that before the cruclfixion
their ancestors were living In Toledo
and so they were guiltless of that
crime.