The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1913-04-23

One of the most picturesque of cere-
monies which have come down to us
from the ages is the blessing of the sea.
which takes place at Ostend. the famous
Belgian resort, on the first Sunday in
June every year Early on the day in
question a procession forms outside the
Church of IS. Peter and Paul, and walks
slowly to the "Digue de Mer,'' where a
temporary altar previously has been
erected. A young girl. in a white shep-
herdess' dress, and carrying an effigy of
the Paschal lamb, generally heads the
way, and behind her, on the shoulders
of four fsherwomen dressed as brides,
the figure of the Virgin Mary with the
infant Jesus is borne aloft Behind the
women march several boys. attired as
fishermen and carrying sea charts, an
chors. fishing nets, and baskets. The
procession is completed by lads support
ing large model of ship
When the procession reaches the
"Digue de Mer" the Bishop of Ostend
climbs the steps Of the altar, carrying
the Host. and followed by several assist
ants bearing lamps. in which burn large
candles The bishop. after placing the
Host within the tabernacle upon the
altar. kneels in prayer, with his back to
the sea, and completes the ceremony by
ton. AS the sea is consecrated a flag
is run up on a staff, and the guns of
Ostend boom out three times.
Louis XI was in the habit of starving
his hounds in order to increase their
ardor and instinct. Once he kept them
accidentally too long without food, and
when they were released they were so
ravenous that they sprang upon one of
the Kings favorites and tore him liter
ally to pieces. King Louis was 50 over
come by grief that he announced he
would never hunt again. Some years
later, however, a hunt was organized to
celebrate the marriage of Anne, the
Kings daughter. Louis, remembering
the death of his friend. called In the
cardinal and asked him to pray over the
hounds and turn their hearts from evil.
This was done Uhe year was 1873, and
ever since then the ceremony OF blessing
the hounds has been kept up in France,
the. dogs being generally taken to the
forest of Compiegne for the purpose.
Members OF the church sprinkle each
canine, meanwhile offering up this
prayer: May God permit these dogs, by
their ardor and instinct, to contribute to
the success of the hunt and keep them
from turning furiously on the hunts
men"
There are several places on the coast
of Great Britain where religious services
are held for fishermen just before they
go out to sea to fish, and recently, be-
fore the first shot of the salmon fish
ing nets was made in the River Tweed,
the Rev. c. E. Green held a service near
the fishermens huts and blessed their
nolrI 49,
bless the fishing nets at Yarmouth. A
service is held in the parish church at
the commencement of each year, and
the walls Of the place or worship liter
ally are covered with fishing nets
Prayers are recited over the nets at the
conclusion of the evensong, the clergy
man asking for divine protection for the
fishermen. and also for a blessing on the
harvest they may reap from the deep.
Not few superstltiously inclined per-
sons, since the advent Of 1913, have con-
tinued to prophecy all sorts of catas-
trophies, national strikes. appalling dis
asters, invasions. and what not. which are
going to happen because the terrible
thirteen figures in the date AS a mat
ter of fact, however, thirteens have been
lucky for England. especially, particularly
in regard to wars.
The year 1913 saw the beginning of
Napoleon's collapse, the great conqueror
"All Europe was with US UP
10 year ago; all Europe is now against
u.s." 1t was in that year that wellington
in the peninsula, was victorious at Vic
toria and in the battles of the Pyrennees.
In 1713 the treaty of Utrecht was signed
in London, by which England retained
Gibraltar and acquired territory around