The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-03-23
BY FRANK G. CARPENTER.

a FTER the sorrow Of a Lenten
a season. bathed in the bloodshed
OF the revolution Mexico CITY
will celebrate Easter sunday as the
gayest day of the year There will be
J great bull irht in the Plaza de Toros
the theatres viii have matinees and
night performances. aud Judas will he
hung again and again hy the children
and Srown-ups In all parts OF the city.
This hanging OF Judas is a regular.
Easter celebration. II was originated
by the Indians. to give them ~ chance
10 vent their rage upon the traitor to
Christ. and it is still so used in ihe
more ignorant back districts. although
~ the cities II has become a mere
show for the children.
Here al the Mexican Capital images
Of Judas, made in all shapes and sizes
are peddled about the streets in adj
fance OF the celebration. They range
IN price from few cents to a mum
her OF dollars. the larger ones being
often filled with fre-crackers and other
explosives, which 20 of and blow .Tu-
das to pieces
These Judas figures are made as
ugly AS possible They have ropes at
tached to them. and they are drag ell
about this way and that until thei,
owners think they have Sufficiently
shown their disgust and contempt
They are then taken up and hung
sometimes rope Is stretched across
the street from the Second-story win
COWS OF the houses on the oppOsit,.
sides in such way that Judas hangs
from the middle. and at others a har
staff is put out with Judas at the end
OF it, Both children and grown-ups
mob the efiicl, throwing stones at il
or pelting il with mud
Some OF these Judas figures are
stuffed with candies and presents for
the children but ia such cases they
are usually hung inside the paiios az
courts of the houses. where the little
ones car Keep tn. sweets FOR them
selves There are also merchants who
Rang Judases above their stores the
rSures heinr filled with petty articles
of one kind or other When the eN
y"osion occurs the contents are scat
tered over the sidewalk. and the crowd
hehts Tor them the whole serving As
IN advertisement for the establish,
meH7 which furnishes il
Lent In Mexico
Easter sunday is very populsr here
On account Of The rigid WAY i'm which
re Mexicans celebrate Lent During
that time al festivities are prohihi.
led The church will not perform Tho
ceremonies Of marriage. and an Of Inc
"nm"n pui off their hne clothes and
wear only black Even rho churches
are clad in black, and the gorgeous al
,srs have sable mantles over lheir
hefuNiul decorations Of gold silver
ano lace Every good Christian is
The women ana the Indians do SO The
churoh hells ring from morning ,iil
night and they awaken me he fore dav-
break by their din
This continues until Palm SUNDAY.
when the Indians bring in palms h>.
IN" thousands. and crosses woven or
palms are everywhere sold some OF
THESE crosses are from SIX 10 ten fec;
III ieheth' ana some are SO small that
Snu can wave them in YOUR hands
some are not more than two inches
VIDE. being made Of the finest fibrcs Of
naim Others are Of the whole leaves.
aud often single large palm cross
will soil for 81. These talros are
blessed by the priests and arc carried
home 10 ne tied {" the front balconies
there 10 remain until the next Palm
SUNDAY
Good FRIDAY has It's own special ser
vices, and in the afternoon ana even
ing OF that day tho churches will he
dark and the wcrshippers viii engage
IN sieint praEeT The last n the cerr
monies occur SATURDAY morning. when
the cholrS VIII sing tho Gloria to or
gan accompa niInen,s At the same
time the black draperies will ne ..rip-
ped from To. affairs and the bells viii
he rung. After this tho gai,ias VII
commence ana Easter will practically
begin.
The Government and tho Church
The MeNican government now insists
that there snail ho an absolute separa
ton Of church and state. II prohihitS
church professions throughout the
country No one IS allowed To wear
clerical garb on the street. and YOU do
not see monks With tonsured heads.
wearing sandals and long gowns. or
nuns or sisters Of Christ clad In blacJ,
a-s in some others OF the Spanish Amer
lean republics
This great break between church and
state originated before the time of
President Juarez, but it was lrst put
I'm force By him in 1867. Al that time
All OF the church property was coufs-
ted and all of the members Of the 70.
1tsfons sorfeiies. from the Jesuiis 10
The Sinters of Charity. who taught in
the schools and served az nurses in IN.
hospitals, we're sent out of the country
For while even the ringing Of the
ct1urchebeas was prohibited by law, a nc