El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-03-21
Is Known as Holy Week and
Marks the Period of Suf-
fering and Crucifixion of
the Saviour.

The present week is an especially sig
nificant one in the church calendar, be-
ginning with yesterday, Palm Sunday,
and closing with next Sunday, Easter,
which celebrates the resurrection or the
Savior. The week is known as holy
week and nearly every day has some
special significance, especially with the
Catholic church, with which this week
is the most important of the year. 1t
is also an important week with Episco-
palians. by whom each of the special
days is observed, but not so vigorously
and with such solemn ceremony as by
the Catholics.
Holy Week.
Holy eek is the week preceding Eas-
ter, and in the Catholic church espe-
cially the special characteristics Of the
celebration OF the week are Increased
soiel:.niy and gloom, penitential rigor
and mourning. All instrumental music
is suspended in the churches and the
affairs are stripped of their ornaments,
the pictures and statues are yelled from
pubIls. sight. the rigor of fasting is re-
doubled and almsdeeds and other works
of mercy are enjoined and practiced.
All services of the week breathe the
spirit of mourning, some of them being
devoted to the commemoration of par
ticular scenes in the Passover of the
Lord.
The days thus specially solemnized
are Palm Sunday yesterday, Spy
Wednesday, Holy Cor Maundy) Thurs
day, Good Friday and Holy SATURDAY..
Palm Sunday.
Palm Sunday is so called from the
custom of blessing palm trees or other
trees substituted where the palm can
not be obtained. and Of carrying the
blessed branches in procession in COM
memoration of the triumphal entry of
the Lord into Jerusalem The date or
origin of the custom is uncertain, but
it is known to have existed in the sew
enth century.
In this city and Juarez yesterday the
Catholic churches observed the eere-
mony of blessing the palms, and in ST.
Clements Episcopal church palms were
on display.
Holy Thursday.
Holy Cor Maundy) Thursday is spe-
cially designated in commemoratson of
the last supper and OF the institution of
the Eucharist. There are also several
other customs annexed to the day, as
the solemn conservation OF the oil or
chrism used in baptism, extreme unc-
ton. etc, the washing Of the pilgrims
Zee: and the tenebrae.
Good Friday.
Good Friday, the Friday before Eas
ter. is sacred to the memory OF the cru
cifixion of the Lord. II has been kept
as a day of mourning and special pray
er from a very early period.
In the Roman Catholic church the
service Of the day is very peculiar; in
stead Of the ordinary mass. it consists
Of the mass Of tke presanctified, the
sacred host not being consecrated on
Good Friday. but reserved from the
preceding day. The priests and attend
ants are robed in black, in token C.
deep mourning; the altar Is stripped
OF its ornaments. the kiss of peace .
omitted. in detestation of the kiss Of
the traitor Judas; the priest recites
long series Of prayers for all classes,
orders and ranks in the church, and
even for heretics. schismatics. pagans
and Jews. But the most striking part
Of the celebratic- of Good Friday is
the socalled ADO alton OF the Cross"
A large crucif.x is placed upon the
altar with appropriate ceremonies in
memory of the awful event which the
crucifixion represents, and the entire
congreg cation. commencing with the
celebrating priest, approach and upon
their knees reverently kiss the crucified
figure of the Lord.
The very striking office of "Tene-
brae'' is held upon Good Friday and
consists of the mathis and lauds of
the Holy Saturday, and has this pc
culiarity that at the close all the lights
in the church are extinguished, but one,
which for a time tas symbol of the
Lords DEATH, is hidden under the al
tar.
In the Episcopal church Good Friday