The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1909-04-11
EASTER IN OLD MEXICO
One of the Chief Events of the Day Is to Hang
Judas Iscariot in Effigy.

Trinity. After filing bottles and TASKS
with the consecrated water they hasten
away
The Italians hold Easter as the most
important festival Il the ecclesiastical
year, even attaching more importance 20
Il than 10 Christmas Throughout the
whole peninsula there are family r.
unions, fetes. and ceremonies. all OF tie
latter originating IN rcmostest antiquity.
and each connected more or less with tie
worship Of FIRE as the great purifying
element
Florence has always been distinguished
for most unique ceremony, known as
/ "ScappiO del Caro- (the .expiosiOn OF
the carr. which IS undoubtedly % most
ancient origin. Early in the thirteenth
century 10 so chances tEst young man
OF the great Puzzi family was the first
person 20 light his torch from the FIRE
which was drawn from striking the sac
red flint from the tomb OF Christ. and
so greatly pleased were his Wssole clan
that they resolved on the next Saturday
20 celebrate the circumstance with ponp
and display Of fireworks such as 20 this
day Is q sign q italian rejoicing.
Ever since the family has spared no
expense IN marking the occasion Year
after year these demonstrations grew
more snowy. the family spending more
and more. until ar last Il occurred -
them 70 build a car. 70 De crsmmed fun
Of fireworks. and this they proposed 20
place In front o. the cathedral. lighting
the whole mass from the sacred FIRE and
causing II al 80 explode az the moment
when the city bells Csilent since Holy
Thursday burst forth into merry peais
Gt the stroke OF midday. when was ce-e-
brated the symbol OF Christs resurrec-
( ton At first a new machine was made
every year. but after a certain time they
determined 10 have a durable one. and
accordingly bull: q high triumphaI car.
carved and gilded. but It did not serve
long for IL, with several more. was
burned.
But in 1872 Cas an inscription on the n
side tesufes) the car now IN use was
made. u has been partially destroyed
and restored number o. times. until
the inside Is a patchwork OF many kinds
% wood. each piece being inscribed with
the name % che carpenter who fixed Il.
Il IS d massive square structure. fovr
stories high. made u great beams ana
boards clamped together and supported
On low. solid wheels
Whea the time for the celebration ar-
rlves this strange structure IS packed
with fireworks and adorned with flow
ers. and four huge white oxen draw Il
through the streets 20 the front Of the
cathedral. Here -i=-e s. fixed % II 4
wire connected with the high altar a
the farther end OF the cathedral AT
The end Of this wire Is q mechanical oe-
wise. made Of wood. with a wheel and q
slow fuse inside Of IT, knoUn as the
Columbia or dove
The archbishop applies a Hight from
the sacred FIRE 70 the dove. which goes
Kissing down the wire. over The heads OF
the congregation. 70 the car and lgnites
the fireworks. when loud explosions oc-
cur which can De heard ali over the city
and the surrounding country.
The peasants attach great importance
10 this ceremony and are extremely su-
perstitiOus about the successful passage
Of the dove. for they take il as q sign
that The coming harvest vii be good.
Should e stick IN any way on its passage
% the car. or not ignite the fireworks.
there IS loud curs.ng. and they look for
nothing but 81 luck from this omen Peo-
pie come from all over Italy 20 see the
ceremony. and 50 keen Is the interest in
: II that many more centuries viii see Il
performed
In England. on Maundy Thursday. there
used % prevail a custom for the SOW
ereign 10 wash The feet OF as MANY. uo0r
people as correspondent with the wears
or his or her life King James II was
the last monarch 90 regularly perform
this service. though Queen Elizabeth I'm
her thirty-ninth year washed the feet
~ thirty-nine Of her subjects Her ma
jesty was attended by an equal number
Of ladies' and gentlemen. The feet o.
the poor OF the kingdom were frsr
washed by yeomen OF the laundry with
warm water and sweNt herbs. the Queen
then hathed them and made the sign Of
me cross on the instep and kissed r.
Ihls ceremony took place al Greenwich
Palace II is IN some parts Of England
that the custom Of lifting or -'heavfrr-
stiH prevails Every one whom The lads
and lassies meet they forcibly place on
chair and lift them three times from
the ground and then kiss The Hfti-r
IS embleuatic Of the resurrection ~
Christ and the kissing Is in remembrance
OF His kissing His disciples.