The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-04-10
|H0LY WEEK
| BEGINS TODAY
Roman Catholic Church
Prepares for Observance
of Solemn Period
Impressive Services on Holy
Thursday, Good Friday
and Holy Saturday-Clos-
ing Week Of Lent.

Yesterday the Roman Catholic
Church entered upon the most impress
sive period of it's liturgical year. st.
John Chrysostom designated the per-
iod between Palm Sunday and Easter
as the Great Week because of the
great mysteries which are then cele-
brated.'' 1t is more commonly known
Holy Week, and in it occur Holy
Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Sat
urday. The solemn commen1oratfon
of the last days of the Saviour's life
is traceable to the remotest periods OF
the church's history and is mentioned
by ST. John Chrysoston1, st. Athanas-
ius and European woman named
Aethera who made a pilgrimage to
Jerusalem in 3SS A. D.
Palm Sunday yesterday marked the
beginning of the week and now. as
formerly, the reading of the passion at
mass and the distribution of palms
was the principal ceremonial. This
varies as to details in different locaH-
ties. In some parts of Germany the
custom used to be that the entrance
of the Saviour was represented by
dragging in a wooden ass on wheels,
Of the dead with leaves of the willow,
used in the procession, still obtains IN
some parts of Wales and England.
One custom that never varies is the
singing Of the beautiful "Gloria Laus"
as professional. The blessing of the
palms is invested with all possible
ceremony, as it is the intention Of the
church that the palms be preserved as
memorials of Christ's triumphal entry
into Jerusalem. There is little differ
ence between the office for the first
part of the week and that common to
all penitential seasons. st. Mark
story of the passion Is read or sung on
Tuesday and st. Luke's ON Wednes-
day. The custom obtains in many
lauds for Thursday, Friday and Sat
urday at an hour which will assure
the attendance of a large number OF
the faithful
The office for these days has great
age in it's favor and is designed to
harmonic with the mournful mystef-
les commemorated. One of the fea-
lures of the services on the evenings
of these days is the gradual ext1nc-
ton Of all candles save one, which rep
sents Christ. and this is finally hid
den behind the altar, while the Mis-
erere' Is sung At it's close, loud
noise Is made to signify the convul-
sion of nature at the death of Christ.
Holy Thursday is sometimes called
Maundy Thursday, from the first word
of the office of the washing Of feet,
'4mandatum."
The stripping and washing of the
affairs on this day, after the perform
ance of the mass is reminiscent OF the
only ceremonial in cOmmemOratlon or
Jesus humility on that occasion. But
the service for this day centers around
the observance of the sacrament OF the
Lords Supper. The mass is ceie-
brated in white vestments and the
GLORIA in Excelsis'' is sung to an
nounce the joy in the occasion. But
later in the service of the day the orr
gan and bells are hushed in memory
of the "Church's bereavement from
her spouse"
Formerly the three days foio"lng
were silent days also and We're SO
called. Good Friday involves special
ceremonial This is the only day OF
the ecclesiastical year when the holy
sacrifice is not offered. The first part
of the service consists of the read
ing Of two lessons from the Old Tesla
ment which refer to the sacrifice Oh
the paschal lamb. Then the recorded
fulfillment of the ancient prophecy is
read in Johns account of the cross.
After this what are known as bidding
prayers are sung when the church asks
Gods mercy for all living creatures.
A ceremony of great antiquity follows,
the alteration of the cross. Formerly
it was customary for the congrega ton
to creep on it's knees to the cross, while
the choir chanted the irnpropria, or re-
proaches, but now this part of the
ceremony is delegated to the priests.
The Good Friday ceremonial concludes
with the "Mass of the Presanctified' ,
which is the mass of the host sanctl-
fled ON the day before. The clergy, in
black vestments bring the host from
the repository, slowly in solemn pro-
cession to the main altar. where it is
raised aloft and consumed Tne judi
liant nature of the services on Holy
Saturday indicate that the resurrec-
ton is considered to be an accom-
plished fact. Alleluias and the ex-
ultet are sung and chanted. The mass
of this day, with it's prolonged ringing
of bells, its unwilling of the statues
and it's singing of alleluias are also In
memory Of the resurrection.
Nowadays the observances Of Holy
Week are not followed as strictly as
formerly. 1t is impossible, under pres
emf conditions of labor for many peo-
pie to fast as vigorously as the church
formerly demanded. In the Middle
Ages. owing to the influence OF the
church in. reconciling enemies and
Easter week, it became the custom for
oyer-lords to grant general amnesty
to all against whom they held any
grudge. But now the church's re-
ol1irernents have been abated to suit
the times.
Sacred Heart Church.
At the Sacred Heart church regu-
lar Lenten services will be held. Con-
fessions will be. heard both Wednes-
dav afternoon and evening. Mass
Thursday morning will be at and
s. the latter solemn high mass.
when there will be a procession of
the school children following the
Blessed sacrament. The pre-sanctt-
fed mass will be held Good Friday
at s. O'Clock followed by alteration of
cross. Good Friday afternoon at 5
O'Clock, the exercises of the way OF
the cross will be carried out. Ser
vices Good Friday evening at 1880.
Easter Saturday with a special clos
ing mass of Lenten mass at a. m.
there viii be the blessing of the Eas-
be as usual, at 1880, 9, $3.50 and Il
high mass at 1890, with special Eas-
ter music at all services.
st. Augustine's Church.
Recitation of the rosary, sermon
and benediction Wednesday evening"
as usual. at 1880 o'clock. Confessions
both afternoon and evening, We'd
nesday. Holy Thursday, Communion
at 6 a. m. Solemn high pre-sanctt-
fed mass at o'clock with procession
of the school children. Visits may
be made to the repository until 9 p.
m. Thursday evening. Good Friday,
devotions at 9 a. m. with pre-sancti-
fed mass. At p. M, station of
tho cross Easter Saturday sneciay