The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1912-04-04
EASTER IN THE LAND
OF THE DIPLOMATS

dretS ana strung Abort ana eX-
ploded from a fuse running to the
ground. The contents are scattered ir
HI explosion, of course, and the grown
ups, as well as the children, scramble
for the flying gifts.
THE ceremonies really begin with
Thursday evening of holy week." said
a secretary at the Mexican embassy
when the vista de la siete casas,' OF
the calling of the seven houses OF
churches, is held. The ~populace on this
occasion visit seven or more churches
there must be seven at the lowest
and pray. All the churches are deco
rated and there is considerable rivalry
as to which has the most gorgeous al
Tar. on the afternoon Of Good Friday
there Is a service called ia siete pala-
bras or the seven words, referring to
the seven words Of Christ on the cross.
All women attending this service are
dressed either in mourning or in SOM
Der colors. In the evening, attired in
The same manner, they attend a service
called 'pesame,' a service Of coincidence
and mourning.
On Saturday morning the Gloria
service IS held, after which
comes the hanging of the efigies of
Judas In the afternoon the people at
tend the ~theaters or a bull fight if the
weather Is not too warm for the latter.
on Easter day proper, the celebration
Is almost entirely a religious one.
According to the Baroness de Bode,
o sister Of Colonel Baron de Bode, mill
tary attache G., the Russia nembassy.
Easter is the holiday Of holidays in her
n
This is partly due to the fact that
Easter is the first celebration of the
spring season." said the baroness and
the warm weather naturally draws peo-
pie to the out of doors.
On Easter eve in Russia there is a
church service held, which begins a
few minutes before midnight and con-
tlnues for half an hour. In the coun-
try' even among the peasants, where
IN ecustoms are more strictly followed,
me people wear their best and lightest
clothes.
After this service comes the Easter
n na rEiehos KISS three times, first on
one cheek, then on the other, and the
last time on the other cheek again. This
represents the joy they feel OF. account
~ the SaVlor's resurrection. The Gus
tom IS sometimes continued for sew
eral days, and the peasants often kiss
thoSe whom they have lust met.
Following the haif-hour service
mere is a night mass held, the only one
during the year. This is not USUALLY
over until 3 o'clock in the morning.
FROM the church the people return
nome and nave what is really an early
ooS WHICH lS more like n
aeast; They eat lard boiled eggs,
pascha, n 'coolitch,' which form the
features of the p .Pascha, 10
MAGE principally from cottage cheese.
Whlle 'coolitch' Is a special kind of
Dread; or course, other things are
seieeu az Well, as the Lenten fast is
Joylully k And in regard to the
Lenten fast We are also more particu-
lar than In some countries, for, besides
sustaining from meat, we do not eat
eggs nor drink milk.
"Ihe custom Of kissing is also Oh
nsiseo IN the court. Easter day the en-
peror receives the members Of his
household, his bodyguard and represen-
tatlVes from the officers and soldiers
OF the regiments stationed in and near
81. petersburg. These he greets with
tne Easter kiss, while they greet the
nntptess ny Kissing her hand. The en-
peror also presents small favors in the
shape OF eggs to those present.
Easter Gay Is a pleasant occasion for
Tue cniidren. For two or three DAYS
preceding we dye eggs for them, much
as Is done IN this country. Easter the
cIildren roll and play with them. IT
is also the custom to exchahee aegs
and many people carry a few with tbeem
10 present to their friends after Tho
church service. The children plav with
thelr eggs for a week after Easter and
tne customs are more strictly followed.
iSii5SI. lHe 'DaSCh9' and
cooIltcn are also eaten during the weel.
after Easter, and always served TO yIsA
1tors who may call. 1t is also a custom
to greet friends Easter day with sChrfst
IS risen from the dead To that the
ariehu replies either in the same way
or eXcial1ns, Yes, verify, He Is ~risen.'"
Another phase of the Russian cale-
pratlon OF Easter is to be found not in
Russia, but in Palestine. Thousands
upon thousands of pilgrims, chiefly
from Russia, but also from other parts
OF the world as well, assemble on the
morning to battle in the same waters
IN which the Christ was baptized. Az
the rays of the rising sun gid the tons
OF the mountains of Moab. a shout of
Hosanna' bursts forth with one ac-
oolo rom every throat, followed by the
cadence OF sweet and solemn song. Ban
tlsmal robes are donned and more like
d crowd or pleasure seekers, thew r,1sh
into the stream. The Russian govern
lhent mas erected hospices for the pil-
grlIns all along their line of march
Easter in Jerusalem Is a great M
casion at the Church of the HOW Sen,,II-
cher. The day before the ceremony Of
the descent of the holy fire is ceIe-
prated. All lights in the church are ex-
tlnguished at a certain hour and the
stand praying that the holy
high priests go down into the sacred
sepulcher; suddenly lights appear in
the tomb and other priests hand down
candles which are returned to them
lighted. These candles are then carried
to the various churches in the city to
light their altar candles, and. in fact
there have been instances of their hav,
Ing been carried all the way back to
Russia by pilgrims, for have thew not
been lighted from the holy fire sent
down from heaven! On Palm Sunday
a vast service is held in the church at
the conclusion of which the
stream forth shouting "Hosanna." and
waving their palm branches.
Easter in Germany is a solemn b,t
happy occasion. Elaborate choral serv-
Ices are rendered in the churches and
In the homes as well. Indeed the sing
Ing OF the Easter carols is a matter of
grave concern, for they have been re-
hearsed for weeks before.
1t ts a children's day. said the
Countess Won Bernstorff, wife Of the
ambassador from Germany, land in
families where there are children a
party is usually given for them. II
Easter falls during warm weather the
eggs are collected and hidden for the
children out of doors, or, If the weather
is too cold for that, indoors. Egg
shaped boxes are made in Nuremberg.