Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-04-14
DANCING BEFORE ALTAR.
Observance Of Curious Custom il
the Seville Cathedral.

MOI one Ol tIe IlldHy TellCS VI liiS
middle ages, with which Spain still
.lbrunds, is more curious than the
dancing before the altar which takes
place every evening during the octaves
of the Immaculate conception (Decem-
Der to 15) and corpus Domini (three
weeks after Ascension day. in the
Cathedral Of Seville.
This church is the largest Gothic
cathedral in the world. 1t is lighted
by no fewer than ninety-three win
dows, and is veritable museum of
art; but the browning glory of this
venerable pile is it's fifteenth and six
teenth century stained glass, the de-
signing Of which is upon doubtful au-
thority ascribed to Raphael, Titan and
Michaelangelo. 1t is within this Won
derful edifice that takes place tine most
quaint ritual of all Christendom.
The dance is performed by two rows
of choristers or seises, numbering ten
or twelve formerly it was six). wear
ing plurled hats and dressed as pages
of the time Of Philip III. The colors
of the clothes vary: for the octave of
Corpus Domini they are red and white,
while blue and white are worn during
the Immaculate conception To slow
music of violins this dance (Which is
a sort of minueD is solemnly per-
formed, devoid of all irreverence and
levity.
At the December festival the vast
church is in darkness save for the
lights Of the high altar, and the effect
is consequently most impressive. The
chants which the choristers break out
into merely add to the solemnity OF the
occasion, 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. tt
a legend says this singular ritual
originated at the time of the seige of
Seville by some boys going out to
Alcala, where they danced before the
Moorish army, which they so delighted
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 a certain Archbishop Of Seville
about zoo years ago wished to suppress
this ritual but the citizens, together
with the canoDS, gave such opposition
that there was quite a tumult, and the
matter was referred to Rome. The
pope Of that time wishing to see the
dance. the choristers were taken to
the Eternal city. where they performed
bfore the head of Christendom, who
merely laughed, but to please the arch
bishop and at the same time to 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 restored at time. and they
now bid fair to last forever.
The other legends are connected with
the Jews Of Toledo, who formed the
only community CT medieval Europe
that was not confined to a ghetto, with
all its prosecuting regulations. One Of
the reasons given for this is that at
the time of the crucifiXion. or little
before. the Sanhedrim of Jerusalem
sent around to all the Jewish colonies
asking whether or not the Christ was
the long-eNpected Messiah, and the
Jews of this city were 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 conf1ne
these Jews to ghetto the latter
proved that before the crucifixinn their
ancestors were living in Toledo and
so they were guiltless of this crime
Pail Mall Gazette.