Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1910-04-29
GREEKS
TODAY OBSERVING
THEIR GOOD FRIDAY
Services Being Held by Catholic
and Orthodox Con-
gregations.

Owing TO the thirteen days difference
between the Gregorian calendar, used
by the Western nations, and the Julian
reckoning, still retained by the 120. 000,-
900 of Christians in the East, today is
April 16 throughout Russia, Turkey,
Greece, Asia Minor, Syria n Egypt.
AS a result of this, in those countries
Easter falls his year on next Sunday,
this being holy week, and today Good
Friday. Services for these holy days
will be held in Newark by
the Greeks at the Greek Ortho-
dox Church, in Academy street
near High, and by the Ruthenians of
Eastern Austria at st. John the Bap-
fist Greek Catholic Church, in Cour
street near Belmont avenue.
The residence in Newark of several
thousand Greeks, Ruthenians and Rus
slams, and their observance of the
Eastern usages brings us in close touch
with the interesting difference in GUS
tom and tradition. The real difference
is not religious, but relates only to the
almanac. England and the United.
States followed the old-style. or Julian,
calendar until 1853, when the British
Parliament adopted the reckoning used
i'll France and other countries that fol-
lowed the calendar as corrected by
Pope Gregory.
Greek Orthodox Services.
At the Greek Orthodox Church in
Academy street there was the usual
service for Good Friday this morning.
The principal service, however, will be
this evening, when the ~Epitaphios, or
funeral service at the entombment of
Christ, will be held. In Greece a bier
is CARRIED around each village, fol-
lowed by a large portion of the popu-
lation. In Newark this ceremony takes
place in the church. A figure of Christ,
wrapped in linen cloths, rests on the
bier, or catafalque, which is piled with
Votive offerings of flowers. Around it
stand the bearers, who carry the bier
around the church, the solemn service
proceeding with the reading of peniten-
tial psalms, the r%eciting. of litanies and
the outburst of the response, Kyrie
Eleison. The service will last from
about 8 to II o'clock. There will be
celebration of holy communion tomor-
row morning at the IL o'clock service.
Late tomorrow night the great serv-
ice of Easter day will begin. There
will be prayers, the chanting of psalms
inc reading of Holy Scripture from IL
to u o'clock. Promptly at II o'clock
the midnight mass that ushers in
Easter day will commence. This service
of the Anastasis COR resurrection will
continue till about 2 a. m. 1t is the
most impressive service of the whole
year 1t begins with the priest, the
Rev. Theodore Prousianos, at midnight
lighting a candle and announcing in
Greek Come, take light from the Ever
lasting Light and glorify Christ. our
God, who has risen from the dead The
members of the congregation light their
tapers from that of the priest or from
those near them, until the whole church
is bright with the illumination from the
tapers held by every person in the
church.
The priest in festal vestments. at
tended by acoIytes, comes down the
church to a raised dais ablaze with
lights. from which part of the Easter
service is read. There bursts out the
triumphal hymn, Christ Is Risen From
the Dead" Priest and %acolytes, with
swinging %censers, press through the
congregation chanting Easter hymns.
- = iiiR tipSt VI lt ~ ' ~ lit "a
plosion and cracking of decorating
caps add an unusual feature TO the
service. IN Greece and throughout Tur-
key Easter is celebrated by fireworks
and crackers and is as noisy as the
Fourth of July here.
ON sunday afternoon the service of
the Agape will be held. Extracts from
the gospel accounts of the resurrection
.ti1l L. ,1n.1 T., ---t.. 49,. CO..
a Arabic and other languages. This
is symbolical of proclaiming the gospel
of the resurrection to all the world.
At the service of the Agape the kiss
of peace is given, men kissing the men
and women the women, with the greet
ing. Christ is risen" On Easter Day,
Whenever Greeks meet, this is the only
greeting. 1t is used like our Merry
Christmas.' The members of this con-
gregation are Greeks, their service is
in the Greek tongue and they acknowl-
edge the ecclesiastical authority of the
patriarch of Constantinople.
Greek Catholic Services.
The Ruthenian population of Newark
will crowd st. John the Baptist Greek
Catholic Church in Court street. The
principal service today was that of
mathis at 10 a. m. There was no. mass,
the Coco Friday service relating to the
passion and entombing of our Lord.
Tomorrow mass will be celebrated at
I a. M. During the day the priest OF
the congregation, the Rev. stephen
Makar, will go from house to house
blessing the Easter eggs, according to
ancient custom.
on Easter Day the great service of
the resurrection will begin with mathis
at /. High mass will follow at 8 or
$50. An interesting feature of the serv-
ice to the visitor will be the hearty
singing of Easter carols. One after an
other will be sung before the morning
prayer, between that service and the
mass and after the mass until the con-
gregation leaves the church. There
will lie vespers at ) p. m,
This Greek Catholic congregation
acknowledges the authority of the Pope