The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-03-01
DevOut Christians Will Re-
nOunce Pleasures for Period
of Forty Days.
WILL OBSERVE OCCASION
IN FASTING AND PRAYER
Social Affairs Will Be Few and
Entirely Informal in the
Main.

Stn pl tIlC ltnulNldNibn W "DllilH Pl'oS
ures by the religiously inclined. OF fast
ing and prayer in commemoration Of the
fast OF forty days and forty nights in
dulged in by the Savior of Man prior TO
his crucifNion and resurrection. The
function OF the present day observance
of the season. as IL WAS III biblical days,
is to subdue the flesh to the benefit Of
the spirit by abstinence from worldly
delights.
Today Is Ash Wednesday. the first day
Of Lent II is called Ash "Wednesday
from the ancient custom of strewing
ashes on the head as a sign OF penitcncc.
Though the beginning OF the custom is
rather dim. according to history. II is
Gregory the Great. II was sanctioned by
Pope Celcstian Ill, 1871. and generally
prevailed after that time. Before the
carly mass was said il was the custom
to consccratc the ashes on the altar.
They were SprinlSlcd with holy water and
three times signed with the cross, while
the priest recited the Latin words mean
ing:
Remember thou art dust and 10 dust
must return"
Following this service the ashes were
strcWn on the heads OF the priests The
officiating clergy and the assembled peo-
pie. II is said that the ashes used were
those OF the palms consccrated on the
preceding Sunday-Palm Sunday.
Important Festival.
In the United States the members OF
church in particular have specially pre-
scribed service for Ash Wednesday and
for the entire Lenten season and the
days preceding and following this season.
1t is one OF the most important festi-
walls of the churches. Though indul-
Sences and eNcesses of all kinds are es-
pccialy advised against at this season,
the matter of abstinence Is left largely TO
the discretion of those concerned The
eating Of meats Is discontinued by many
OF the more devout church members The
~, ,,.. III
are at low cbb during Lent and many
give up the thcater. and. i'll fact. any
and all cnioyments or dclicacics Of which
they are especially fond.
One Of the beautiful and impressive
customs Of the Catholic church observed
during Lent is the celebration of the
Stations of the Cross. This custom will
he observed locally at st. Mary's ca
thcdral every Friday evening during
Lent, The way OF the cross is depicted
AT the cathedral In a series of beautiful
flee. representing the passion and death
of Christ. There are fourteen stations in
all. each one symbolical of some impor
tant Item in the events leading up 10 the
crucifXlon OF the Savior. Before each of
these stations a short prayer is said, the
whole service imprcssing the participants
with the wonderful solemnity of the oc-
casion of their devotions.
Services at st. Mary's.
This service Will begin at : o'clock
inSs at the same hour there will be scrv
Ices OF the rosary and instruction. There
VIII be beneiiction of the blessed sacra-
ment also and special music by the choir
There Will be other services also. par
ticipatcd In especially by the parish
priests, but the meetings on Wednesday
and Friday evenings VIII be particularly
for the public. Wednesdays and Fridays
are the special fast days I'm the regime
observed by the Catholic church.
In the Episcopal churches of the city
special collects and prayers will be said
during Lent.
Services will be held today in. com
memoration of Ash Wednesday at ST,
Marks cathedral at 7:30 a. M. 10 a. m
holy communion will he administered
This afternoon at 1 O'Clock there will be
prayer service and at o'clock tonight
there will be prayer service and preach
ing. The Rev. d. X, Johnson OF Logan
has come to assist the Rev. Dean Samuel
r. Colladay in the Lenlen season serv-
ices Services will be held every Wedncs-
day night during Lent.
Next Tuesday afternoon at o'clock
the Rev. Dean Colladay will ofiiClate at
the services and will deliver address,.
Next Wednesday afternoon the Rev AL
Vim Ward Reese of ST. Paul's church will
ofiiciate and deliver AN address. At d:SO
Thursday afternoon there will be special
services for the children. Other services
viii be held during the season. announce
ment of which will be made later.
Observance Less Rigid.
The Lutherans OF the city will hold no
special services during the season until
Good Friday. Formerly t was the GUS
tom to make a special study OF the pas
sion and death OF Christ during Lent, bat
OF late years the Luthcrans have rather
done away with The rigid observance OF
the festival.
Tuesday; or Shrove Tuesday. or PAN
cake Day" in ancient times was the last
day upon which preparation for Lent
could be made. and II was therefore
made a day of general rejoicing and
meriymaking. The festive banquets OF
the early days are signified in present
times by the eating of pancakes on
Shrovc Tuesday.
In the Roman Catholic districts of
southern Europe the day is known as
Mardi Gras. Fat Tuesday, and the
early French settlers in the southern
par, OF the United States. especially i'm
Louisiana, inaugurated the custom OF the
present day Mardi GraS Al festival OF un-
restrained fun. In New Orleans, Shrove
Tuesday is holiday from > O'Clock In
the afternoon until midnight 1t is the
last day Of the Mardi Gras and marks
the elimination of "A long -planned series
of pageaDts and pleasure events.
Local social functions during Lent Will
be entirely informal for tho most part