Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-04-19

day is sign of italian rejoicing.
Ever since the family has spared no ex-
penSe in marking the occasion. Year after
year these demonstrations grew more
snowy, the family spending more and
more. until at last 1t occurred to them to
build a car. to be crammed full Of fire.
works. and this they proposed to place in
front of the cathedral. lighting the whole
mass from the sacred fire and causing 1t
all to explode at the moment when the
city bells (silent since Holy Thursday
burst forth into merry peals at the stroke
Of midday, when was celebrated the SYM
Dol OF Chrtst'S resurrection. AT f1rst a
new machine was made every year, but
after a certain time they determined to
have a durable one. and accordingly built
a hugh triumphal car. carved and gflded
but it did not serve long. for 1t, with sew
eral more. was burned.
But in 1922 (as an inscription on the in
side testifieS) the car now in use was
made. 1t has been partially destroyed
and restored a number Of times, until the
inside is a patchwork Of many kinds Of
wood, each piece being inscribed with the
name of the carpenter who fixed 1t. 1t
is massive square structure, four stories
high. made Of great beams and boards
ciamped together and supported on low,
solid wheels.
When the time for the celebration ar
rives this strange structure is packed WITH
fireworks and adorned with flowers and
four huge white oxen draw 1t through
the streets to the front of the cathedral.
Here there Is fixed to it wire connected
with the high altar at the farther end OF
the cathedral. At the end of this wire Is
a mechanical device. made of wood. with
wheel and q slow fuse inside OF It,
known as the columbia" or dove.
The archbishop applies light from the
sacred fire to the dove. which goes kissing
down the wire, over the heads of the con-
gregation, to the car and ignites the hre-
works. when loud explosions occur which
can be heard all over the city and the
surrounding country.
The peasants attach great Importance to
this ceremony and are extremely supersti-
tious about the successful passage OF the
dove. for they take 1t as sign. that the
coming harvest will be good Should it
stick in any way on its passage to the car
or not ignite the fireworks there Is ioud
cursing. and they look for nothing but III
luck from this omen. People come from
all over Italy to see the ceremony. and SO
keen is the interest in 1t that many more
centuries will see 1t performed.
Washing Beggars' Feet.
In England. on Maundy Thursday. there
used to prevail a custom for the sovereign
to wash the feet of as many poor people
as corresponded with the years of his or
her life. King James II was the last mon
arch to regularly perform this service.
though Queen Elizabeth in her thirty
ninth year washed the feet Of tl;irty-nine
Of her subjects. Her majesty was attend
cd by an equal number of ladies and gen
tlemen. The feet of these poor OF the king
dom were first washed by yeomen of the
laundry with warm water and sweet
herbs; the queen then bathed them and
made the sign of the cross on the instep
and kissed 1t. This ceremony took place
at Greenwich Palace.
It is in some r It's of England that the
custom of lifting or 'heaving" still pre-
walls. Every one whom the lads and las
sizes meet they forcibly place on chair
and lift them three times from the ground
and then kiss. The lifting Is emblematic OF
the resurrection Of Christ, and the kissing
ie IN remembrance OF His kissing HIS dis
ciples