The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1909-01-01
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 s to 15) and Corpus Dom
ini (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
crowning glory Of this venerable pile
is its fifteenth and sixteenth century
stained glass, the designing of which
Is upon doubtful authority ascriheG
TO Raphael, Titan and Michael An
gelo lt 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 it was siN), wearing
plumed hats and dressed as pages Of
the time of Philip III the colors Of
the clothes vary; for the ocN
tave Of Corpus Domini they are red
and white, while blue and white are
worn during the Immaculate Concep-
tion. To the slow music OF violins this
dance (which is a sort Of minuep rs
solemnly performed, devoid of all w-
reverence and levity.
At the December festival the vast
church is in darkness, save for che
lights Of the high altar. and the eff
feet is most impressive. The chants
which the choristers break out into
merely add to the solemnity Of the oc-
casion, which Is 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 jealousy 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 tu-
multi. and the matter was referred to
Rome The pope of that time wish
ing to see the dance, the choristers
were 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 10 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 8
Ghetto with all its prosecuting regu-
lations One Of the reasons given for
this is that at the time OF the cruci-
fixion, 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 a Ghetto the lat
ter proved that before the crueihxion
their ancestors were living in Toledo
and so they we're guiltless Of that
crime