The Julesburg grit-advocate., 1910-12-22

!: {. !" !. ! ] I !. ! ! ! ! !
ri tie Of our own celebrA-
L = ton Of the birth of the
NV - Christ child We are apt
q to overlook the fact
that another portion Of
the world 10 doing pre-
cisely the same thing
~ in . di6erent maAnsr.
S Scarcely one-nfth Of
tie territory Of the globe u Chris
tan. and but . proporttonate nunbsr
u its Inhabitants celsbsats ChFistnAs.
Yst svea In this co0parativsly snail
aunbes of people tAsrs are surprtsing-
" aivsrss methods of celebrating tAs
great 1ay. OF course, al countries that
have . Christmas have . similar spir-
ttnAl cslebra4ioa-thanks anl praise
asA worship 10 God for The birth of hio
only son IN the nansse At Bsthlshsa.
But the diversity of celebration aloag
anatesial linss and the great variety
OF CHRISTMAS customs in other lands
are surprising. indeed. Even bstvssa
countries % closely allied - the
Usited States and EngiasA tie Differ
enee n marked.
OF all Places On Christmas. surely
the Holy Land-ths birthplace Of the
Christ child-is paramount In interest.
And. naturally. the celebratioa Of the
people Of tkat land centefs in Belh-
lshsm. the humble little village where
the shepherds found the babe wrap
ped In swaddling clothes and lying in
. manger." On Christmas eve the
Christians Of jerusalem and from all
over Palestine and visitors from other
san1s hock to Bethlehem tc witness
the Gorgeous ceremonial ln the Roman
Catholic cnapsl IN the Church Of tie
Nativity.
Oas BY one, and in groups they
ooos. With their Caravans Of camels
o. On foot down the road from Jeru-
salem to bethlehem. leading through
stony. rolling plains with here and
there an olive grove or an orchard.
Under the wonderful radiance Of an
eastern night they wend their ways
through the crooked streets Of the
quaint little town to the market place,
Opposite the church.
The scene IL. indeed. . festive oas.
Christians from all the countries Of
the Fact are congregated here in gala
attire. Vendors Of sacred relics are
selling their crosses and pictures in
olive wood, and small boys, dressed
In many-colored garments, red fexes
and bright red shoes, are darting
hfthnp nd khlxhAe T. - 4.
wild exuberance of boyish spirits.
Sheep are being killed by family
groups for their evening meal after
the ceremonies in the church. The
mothers Of Bethlehem, with their
large. lustrous eyes and brilliant COM
plexions, are making merry with their
children. There is a babel Of many
voices and great running to and fro.
The door of the church opens and
the crowd presses in. The Church Of
the Nativity belongs to the Latins, the
Greeks and the Armenians, each sect
having its own convent adjoining.
The Latins are holding their service
now, the Armenians later and the
Greeks 10 days afterward. The en-
trance is through small door In a
high stone wall, and one has to stoop
as he enters-thus insuring bowling to
the cTucifix opposite.
The building Is believed to be the
Oldest monument of Christian archi-
lecture extant. the basilica erected by
st. Helena In 327 A. D. The services
are held in an adjoining building and
the worshippers are all seated on the
marble noor. The priests and monks
enter in solemn procession to the
chant Of the grand Te Deum. The
bishops and archbishops follow, in
gorgeous robes richly embroidered in
gold and silver. Paeons of worship
peal forth from the grand old organ.
At midnight the music grows softer
and then there comes pause. The
silence is complete, except for the
peal Of the Christmas chimes outside
in the village. Suddenly. as though
by an unseen hand. the curtain above
the chancel arch is drawn aside. re.
vealing q miniature cradle holding an
image Of the babe. From the organ
and the choir bursts forth. In glad,
triumphant cadence, the ringing
strains of the Gloria In Excelsis."
The little cradle is lowered and the
"Bambino'' reverently raised. The
worshippers PROSTATE themselves
upon the ground.
The sacred images are then borne
at the head of the procession to the
chapel of the manger. Priests,
monks and congregation, all carry
lighted wax tapers and move in SOL
emn cadence with the chant. The
Grotto Of the Nativity is reached.
Once q subterranean vault. it has
been converted into chapel lined
and hoored with marble. Directly
over the manger is an altar profusely
decorated in gold and silver and silk
en- tapestries. Incense is burning
fragrantly, and lamps that are never
allowed to go out cast their dim radi-
ance over the crowd. A large star Of
brass marks the spot where Christ
was born and bears the inscription In
Y.%ir aIJoro Touua Nhriut waa horn ~