Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1908-07-23
DANCING BEFORE
THE ALTAR.
the Seville commandments of
Its Origin,

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-
taVs of the Immaculate Concertipn
December to 15) and Corpus Do
mini Ohree weeks after Ascension paD
in the cathedral Of Seville.
This church is the largest Gothic
cathedral I'm the world. 1t IL lit by no
fewer than ninety-three windows and
is veritable musuem II art. but the
GROWING glory Of this venerable pile
Is its fifteenth and sixteenth century
stained glass. the designing of which
is upon doubtf~4 authority ascribed
to Raphael. Titan and Michal Angelo
1t is within this wonderful edif,ce
says the Pall Mall Gazette that takes
place the most quaint ritual OF all
Christendom.
Inc dance is performed by two rows
OF chorlsters or seises numbering
wearing plumed hats and dressed as
pages of the time Of Philip Ill: the
colors of the clothes vary; for the octave
OF Corpus Domin they are red ana
red and white. while blue and white
are worn during the immaculate Com
ception To the slow music of yiolira
THIS dance (which is a sort of minuot,
Is sol"mnly performed, devoid of all
lrreverence ana levity.
AT the December festival the VAST
church is in darkness. save for the ligr.s
OF the high altar, and the effect is con-
sequcntly most impressive The chan.4
which the charisters break ont into ner,--
~ add 10 the solemnity Of the occasion.
when IL not in the least degree lessenod
by the sound of the castanets the sei,.s
play There are two sets Of music AMI
they are used upon alternate evenings.
the sale of which is jcalously guarded
against by the Chapter.
legend says this singular ritual orl-
mated at the time Of the seige Of Sevius
by some boys going out to Alcala where
they danced before the Moorish army.
which they so delighted that they wera
able to detain them while the Spaniards
manned the walls; but really the origin
OF this dancing is quite obscure
Another interesting legend relates t.at
ii certain Archbishop OF Seville about
30 years ago wished To suppress this
rnual nut the citizens, together with the
canons, gave such OPPOSITION that there
was quite tumult. and the matter WIS
referred to Rome The Pope of that ti,,lc
wishing to see the dance. the choristers
were taken To the Eternal city, where
they performed before the head of Chris
tendon, who merely laughed. but to
please the Archbishop and at the same
time To appease the canons he said tho
dancing might continue until the clothes
were worn out; to avoid this the dresses
which are OF striped silk have always
been partially restored at a time, and
they now bid fair to last forever
The other legends are connected with
the Jews of Toledo, who formed the on
ly community OF medieval Europe that
was not confined to a Ghetto, with all lis
regulations. one OF the rea-
sons given for this is that at the time
Of the CructiXion, or little before. the
OF Jerusalem sent around
to all the Jewish colonies asking whe-
Their or not the Christ was the long ex-
pected Messiah. and the Jews OF tins
city We're the only ones who returned
an affirmative answer. for which they
received their freedom.
Another legend SAYS the cause Of this
singular circumstance was that when
the Christians endeavored TO conino
these Jews to a Ghetto the latter proved
that before the crucinxion their ances-
tors were living In Toledo and so they
were guiltless of that crime.