Evening journal., 1908-04-18
HOLY SATURDAY
AT CATHEDRAL
Impressive Services Mark Day
That Brings Lent
TO an End
MEANING OF CEREMONIES

The services at the Cathedral this
morning were deeply Interesting and
impressive. They consisted OF the
Tenebrae OF mathis. with the other
canonical hours for this day, and are
consecrated to the memory Of our
Lord in the sepulchre. At the mass,
He was represented by the faithful as
coming out of the grave, and triuph-
ing over death by His resurrection. The
word night used in the benediction Of
the paschal candle, ia the collect Of
the mass. now said in the middle Of
the day, were formerly said in the fol-
lowing night, to honor the time Of our
saviour's resurrection. which happened
on this night.
The altars, deprived Of their orna
ments on Maundy-Thursday, were
again clothed with them, and new
fire was blessed, to illuminate them.
The Office began with lighting a triple
candle. which was embiematic Of the
light Of Christ. and signifies that the
faith of the blessed Trinity proceeds
from the light communicated to us by
Christ r sen from the dead. The
paschal candle. which was blessed in
the next place by the deacon, is a
figure of the body of Jesus Christ and,
uct being lighted at first, represents
TTim dead: and the five blessed grains
~ incense Gxe1 in it denote the aro-
u-lt c spices that embalmed Him in
tUa senulchre. The lighting of the
nas.lal candle is a representation of
ffs rising again in a new life; and the
f-lung of the lamps, and other
t les afterwards. teaches the faith
sa. that tie resurrection of the dead
win be followel by that of the mem-
be-s
n. fter this ceremony, the church dis
poses the catechumens for a worthy
reception of baptism; for which pur-
pose she reads twelve lessons out of
the Old Testament. called Prophecies,
ard after each. says a solemn prayer;
by both Of which she not only in
structs them in the effects and fruit Of
that sacrament. but begs for them, Of
Almighty God. all the advantages Of
It. The church could not have ap-
pointed a more suitable time for the
solemn administration Of baptism,
which is a Representation Of our Lords
resurrection. As He was laid in the
sepulchre truly dead, and came out
again truly alive. so the sinner is
buried in the baptismal water; as in a
mystical grave, and is taken out again
animated with a new life Of grace.
Before the administration Of the
sacrament. the baptlsmal font was
blessed with ceremonies The cele-
brant. Father Lyons, divides the
water IN the form of a cross, to teach
us that It confers grace and sanctity
by the merits OF Christ crucified. He
touches the water with his hand, pray
ing that it may be Sree from all i'm
pressions Of evil spirits. He signs 1t
thrice with the sign OF the cross, to
bless It in the name Of the Holy
Trinity He separates Il with his hand,
and casts out some OF It towards the
four parts OF the world, to instruct US
that the grace Of baptism, like the
rivers Of paradise. flows all over the
earth. He breathes thrice upon it in
the form Of cross. desiring God to
bless it with the infusion Of His holy
spirit. that It may perceive the virtue
of sanctifying the soul He plunges the
paschal candle thrice into 1t. praying
that the Holy Ghost may descend upon
it, as He did at the baptism Of Christ
in the waters OF Jordan. He mixes
holy oil and chrism with It, to signify
that baptism consecrates us to God.
and gives spiritual strength to wrestle
with and overcome all the enemies Of
our soul
After the benediction OF the font, the
sacrament Of baptism Is solemnly adj
ministered to such as arc prepared for
1t: and then the litanY and mass are
sung to obtain of God that the newly
baptized may persevere in the grace
thew have received. Incense is used at
the Gospel. to represent the perfumes
carried by tin Somen to our Saviour s
monument: but no lights are carried,
as at other times. because they and
the Apostles did not yet believe in His
resurrection; for which reason the
creed is also not said. The offertory,
the kiss of peace, and the antiphon,
called the communion, are omitted, be-
cause the faithful did not receive the
Blessed Eucharist at this mass, but
waited till Easter-day, tomorrow.
The celebrant of the mass this morn
ing was Vicar General John A. Lyons.