The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-04-12
BACK TO
 REMOTE TIME Holy Week Goes Back to 4th Century. TIE PERIOD OF SORROW Old Features of Time Are Still
 Preserved. ciimax Comes With Good Friday When Mourning stsrts te Turn To Re- 5oicing-some of the Cus-
 toms Which Have Come
 Down in History.

The most elaborate. impressive, dra- matic and symbolic days of the church year are those which mark the end of the Lenten season, the eight days that make up the Passover sea- son. In the Catholic and Episcopal churches there is no other group of days with such significance. With other denominations there is not such an outward demonstration. but all ob- serve with special service some portion of the time.
 Generally known as Holy Week, 1t starts with Palm Sunday, followed by four days that are liturgically of equal rank, coming then to Good Fri day, Holy Saturday and winding up with the gorgeous festival of Easter. Tn cathedral and collegiate churches, the ceremonies of Holy Week are full of pomp and magniflcence even in their solemnity and fin the smallest church there IS due reverence for the anni- v@rsary of the death and resurrection of the Lord. The celebration of this week In particular has been traced back to the second century and some believe that it goes even to apostolic times. but there is doubt as to that.
 It is certain, however, that Palm Sunday dates at least from the fourth century. It is mentioned in the life of Euthymius, who died in 472, the procession that is now a feature of the day being especially noted. Its name is derived from the ceremony of blessing and distributing palms in commemoration of Christ's triumpha1 entry in Jerusalem when many of the Jews cut branches from the trees to strew the way before Him.
 Tn its present day celebration the clergy walk in procession through the church and pass out into the vestibule. Then the cantors re-enter and sing the hymn. "Giory, Praise and Honor," this being continued alternately by those within and without. At last the sub deacon knocks at the door with. the shaft of the cross: it opens, and the whole body marches up the church. Then comes the singing of the Pas sion. from the Gospel of St. Matthew. one of the masterpieces of Gregorian chant; and almost an oratorio.
 On Holy Thursday the mourning of the Church over the passion and death of the Lord is momentarily interrupted: for on this day Christ instituted the Holy Eucharist. Hence the Mass in the Catholic Church is celebrated in white vestments. the altar is deched with flowers and ornaments at the Gloria in Exelcts" the oSgan is played and the bells are rung; but until the recurrence of the Gloria on Holy Sat- urday there is nothing typical of re- joicing. The high altar is stripped, as Christ was stripped of His garments. In many churches the ceremony of washing the feet is performed. fin imi- tation of Christ washing the feet of His disciples. In Rome the Pope washes the feet of thirteen poor priests. Francis Joseph. of Austria, and several other Catholic sovereigns, perform a similar ceremony, though 1t will probably be omitted this year at Vienna.
 On Good Friday the climax of the week of sorrow is reached. The min fsters enter the sanctuary clad fin black vestments. and prostrate them- selves at full length on the steps of the altar It is sight that softens the heart of the hardened criminal. to see the entire congregation, men and women. young and old. rich and poor sinners and saints, approaching the sanctuary railing.
 Good Friday is the only day of a,1 the year that Mass is not celebrated throughout the world. Instead. there Is what is called the Mass of the Pre- sanctifed.
 In accordance with an immemorial custom of Good Friday, twenty-one old widows of the Parish of St. Bartholo- new the Great, in London. attend church in the morning, and from a particular gravestone in the church yard each picks up a sixpence. The origin of the custom has been lost in obscurity, and there are no known rec ords extant as to the reason for giv- ing the money, even the church books falling to throw any light upon the matter. Tradition has it that over 800 years ago a pious lady left a bequest for the provision of doIes for widows, subject to the stipulation that prayers for her soul were said on the Good Fri day. The interest of the fund estab- lished for this purpose provides 12a. Sd. annually Of this. twenty-one six pences are placed upon the tombstone, and the remaining 2s is spent in buy ing buns, with which the old ladies are regaled.
 Many people are also attracted to a certain public house in London on this