Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1912-04-04


consider it an omen Of plentiful crops
the rest OF the year."
Astounding in quaint customs and
strange ceremonies. Mexico upholds her
reputation in her unique Easter cele-
bration. The day is q day Of en-
geance-not upon the living. but upon
the nunberless images of Judas Is
CARROT. the betrnyer of Christ. All owe
the country countless efiigies Of Judas
are made. generally in peasant clothes,
and ropes are fastened around their
necks. Amid the boots and jeers OF
the crowd he Images are swung aloft
and hung. AS they swing to and fro.
stones and knives are hurled at them:
u In the provinces h figures are
riddled with bullets until they are lit
orally cut to ribbons. Sometimes an
image Is stuffed with connections, Gig
arets and trinkets. strung aloft and ex-
ploded from a fuse running to the
ground. The contents are scattered in
the explosion. OF cours and the grown
ups. az we'll as the children. scramble
for the flying gifts.
"The ceremonies really begin with
Thursday evening OF holy week" said
a secretary Mt Int Mexican embassy,
when h vista de la siete casas,' or
the calling of the seven houses or
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 arc deco
rated and there Is considerable rivalry
as to which has the most gorgeous all
tar. On the afternoon OF Good Friday
there Is IA 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 ii service
called 'pesame,' IL service of coincidence
and mourning.
On Saturday morning the Gloria
service Is held, after which
comes the hanging of the effigies Of
Judas In the afternoon the people at
tend the theaters or Il 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.
q sister OF Colonel Baron de Bode. mill
tary attache OF the Russia nembassy.
Easter Is the holiday Of holidays in her
country.
This is partly due to the fact hat
easter Is the first celebration OF the
spring season. said the baroness. land
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 Il
tinues for half an hour. In the coun-
Try. even among the peasants, where
IN ecustoms are more strictly followed.
the people wear their best and highest
clothes.
After this service comes the Easter.
KISS. Friends kiss three times, first on
n cheek. them on the other. and the
last time on h other cheek again. This
represents the Joy they feel on account
OF the Savior's resurrection. The GUS
lotIi Is sometimes continued for sew
eral days. and the peasants often kiss
'hose Whom they have just met.
foiioWtng the half-hour service
during the year. This is not usually
over until 3 O'Clock in the morning.
From the church the people return
and have what is really an early
but which is more Xix a
feast; They a hard boiled ggs
pascha' n 'coolitch.' which form the
made principally from cottage cheese.
while 'coolitch' is a special kind of
bread. Or course. other things arc
served as Well. AS the L.enten fast fs
Joyfully broken. And in regard to the
iienten fast We are also more particu-
lar than In some countries. for. besides
a~bstaintng from meat. we do not eat
eggs nor drink milk.
I'm custom of kissing is also OBJ
served In the court. Easter day the 4,n-
peror receives the members of his
household. his bodyguard md represen-
tatives from the officers and soldiers
OF the regiments stationed in and near
ST. Petersburg. These he greets wifi,
the IC1Qfnr kiss x-hf0., thor, 49, ~
empress by kissing her hand. The EN-
peror also presents small favors in the
shape of eggs to those present.
Easter q Is "A pleasant occasion for
the children. For two or three DAYS
preceding We dye eggs for them. much
IS IS zone IN this country. Easter the
children roll and play with them. m
is also the custom to exchange eggs.
and many people carry a few with them
10 present to their friends after the
church service. The children play with
tneir eggs for a week after Easter and
the customs are more strictly followed
sometimes longer. The 'pascha' and
e"o,.'S =, are also eaten during the week
aIter Easter. and always served to Wis
itors who may call. It is also a custom
60 greet friends Caste day with Christ
is risen from the deAd.' To that the
friend replies either in the same way
or exciaims. Yes. verify. He is risen"
-A.ostIel phase OF the Russian cele-
bration OF Easter is to be found 20 in
RUSSIA. but IN Palestine. Thousands
upon thousands of pilgrims. chiefly
from Russia. but also from other narts
OF the world as well. assemble on the
banks of the River Jordan on Easter
morning to battle in the same waters
IN which the Christ was baptized. Az
the rays or the rising sun gild the tops
OF the mountains of Moab a shout OF
ca nrIsa anna bursts forth with one ac-
soIu from every throat. followed by the
cadence or sweet and solemn song. Ban
.'sIlaI robes are donned and more j
y crowd of pleasure seekers. they, r.sh