The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1913-03-23
HOW EASTER IS OBSERVED IN OTHER LANDS

Easter is the great festival of the
Christian year. Christianity in all its
aspects. intellectual and moral, is es-
sentially a religion of the resurrection
and the annual commemoration of it is
the greatest day in the Christian call
endar. Easter ceremonies during the
long centuries have taken many forms
throughout the world, and the customs
prevailing in Europe, and other foreign
countries are in many cases strange
and odd to the American. To the
European mind, Easter is an nnual
festival second in Importance only to
Christmas and in a number of in
stances more deliberately celebrated.
The Easter hobby is scrupulously and
enthusiastically observed throughout
the continent from Italy to Norway
and from Spain to Siberia and the
methods of it's. observance. are for the
most part quaint and interesting.
Perhaps the most impressive of
these observances is al Rome, where
the pope personally conducts the mass
at st. Peters and gives his benedic-
ton to tens of thousands of devout
Catholics gathered before the great
cathedral. h pope enters the
church in a state of splendor with
which no other sovereign can compete.
He is carried in a chair Of state, while
on his head is the towering triple
golden inter. It is a scene of dazzling
s%plendor.
In Jerusalem there is another Easter
ceremony that in splendor almost
rivals that of Rome. 1t is incident to
the "feet-washing'' and it is conducted
by the leaders of the Greek church
of the Holy Sepulchre. The Patri-
arch resident at Jerusalem presides,
gorgeous in his, brilliant ecclesiastical
vestments and stately in the. consci-
BUSINESS of his official dignity. He is
surrounded by his bishops and priests
no less gorgeously attired. AS Jesus
washed His disciples feet so the Patri-
arch washes the feet of his u bishops,
Respondent in silved and gold.
The service begins in the Patriarch
laying aside his garments and girding
himself with a towel. This consists in
removing his shining helmet studded
with gems, and his official coat, woven
with silver N gold. Two function
aries. either bishops or priests assist
him in d:srobing, and when it is &C
complished he appears in garments
sufficiently humble for any purpose.
He next pours water into a basin, but
both the pitcher and the basin are of
gold, and scarcely with the
occasion. The. feet of the II bishops
are then laid bare and bathed very
daintily, n wiped dry with the pro-
vided towels. Two attendants carry
the water basin about the sacred cir
Gle, in company with the Patriarch,
and there. is no interruption until
Peters representative, when his order
comes, rises and makes his objection.
After some persuasion he, too, submits,
and Is washed like the others. The
Patriarch then gives an exposition of
all that had been done and each of his
supposed disciples in turn protests his
Then follows a reproduce
ton of the scene in Gethsemane. The
descends from the platform
on which the service was conducted
and bows himself burdened with sor-
row to the ground. This he does three.
returning on each occasion to
the platform. His attendants Their
clothe him in his official robes, replace
the crown ON his head, reform into the
procession in which they at the first
entered the court, and disappear into
the church.
In Russia.
In Russia, Easter is the feast of all
feasts, the day of days, and high and
from ear to mujick, from prince
to pauper, it is celebrated, according
to the means of the celebrant. AT
midnight on Easter eve the great bell
of Moscow sounds the tidings and the
whole. city blazes INTO light. Great
throngs fill the streets and around the
church doors are heaped great piles of
Easter cakes each with a taper stuck