Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1910-12-28
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ing the body to music, Just as per-
feryid re sious excitement affects
Southern negroes at a Baptist camp
meeting in Georgia.
Just at midnight the procession OF
priests, headed by the Patriarch and
followed byeas many Of the people as
can crowd in, descends the stairs to
the Grotto Of the Nativity, the veri-
table spot where Jesus was born.
Each person carries q candle and
the huge organ In the Latin chapel
peals forth the music Of the mid
night mass. On this occasion the
Greeks permit the Catholics to use a
certain portion OF their part Of the
church for the professional. A car
pet Is laid down and the Catholics
walk on 1t. 1t is lined on both sides
by rows Of Greek priests, who keep
careful watch lest any Catholic
should step off the carpet and thus
desecrate the Holy place.
The Patriarch halts first at the
shrine OF the manger, spot pos
sessed exclusively by the Latins. The
wooden manger in which it is be-
lieved that the infant Jesus was laid
was removed, centuries ago, to
Rome, where 1t Is exhibited every
Christmas. The procession again
halts at the altar erected where the
Three Wise Men knelt to make their
gifts to the Infant Redeemer.
At last the Patriarch comes to the
Grotto, and here celebrates the mass
In the sanctuary of the Nativity.
The Grotto Is packed to suffocation
by the crowd, the air is filled with
the smoke Of the candles, it is i'm
possible to hear, and the celebration
is anything but impressive. After
the Patriarch has withdrawn there is
usually long line Of visiting priests
from every country who desire to
celbrate mass on Christmas day in
the birthplace Of the Saviour. They
take their turn and the mass Is re-
peated over and over again all
through the next night and until
noon on Christmas day.
Those who have assisted in this
mass celebration declare that wher-
ever there Is Catholic church in all
the world and wherever the mid
night mass Is said or sung under
proper conditions, the occasion is
more solemn and impressive than in
this suffocating cave which was
stable 1900 years ago.
The Roman Catholics obtained
possession Of the principal control of
the Church OF the Nativity in the
year 1893, upon the succession of the
Crusaders invasion Of Palestine.
Baldwin, King Of Jerusalem, was
crowned in the Church of the Natiy-
ity on Christmas day, 11O1. The
church was made the seat Of the
Episcopal See Of Bethlehem In the
twelfth century and so continued
until 1872, when the Greeks and
other Oriental sects dispossessed the
Latins. The Catholics were not
again permitted to have any share
In the church until 1852. Ever
since the time when st. Louis was
King Of France the French nation
has beep the titular protector Of the
Latin Christians in Palestine. This
friction was made reality in 1862
by the Emperor Napoleon III, who
obtained from the Sultan of Turkey
a ukase giving the Franciscan Cath
olic order portion OF the Church OF
the Nativity.
1t was alleged that the Greek
priests had stolen the silver star
which marked the birthplace of the
Saviour, and the Catholics or Vien-
ma sent to Palestine star to be set
In the Grotto. Napoleon III demand
ed and obtained from the Sultan the
Keys to the Grotto and permission
to set In the place where Christ was
born silver star ornamented with
the arms OF the Empire OF France.
This caused terrific Indignation
among the Eastern churches, which
was shared by the Russian nation
and Emperor. The Crimean War
was the result. Nowadays Greeks,
Americans and Latins keep constant
guard In the church, and with the
aid Of Mohammedan soldiers, the
peace Is preserved.
The people OF Bethlehem know
nothing of Santa Claus; they have
no custom OF giving Christmas gifts;
they have no Christmas trees, no