The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1913-03-23

In 1t, waiting for a blessing. A great
multitude fills the Church of the. Rest
Of the Virgin, every person carrying
wax tapers. The metropolitan and
his clergy in robes blazing with gold
and precious stone make the exterior
circuit of the. church three times and
then advance to the throne amid a
myriad of lights n to the roar of a
universal chant. At the stroke of mid
night a thousand bells ring out; the
metropolitan announces, Christ is
risen'; kisses of love are exchanged.
M the metropolitan on his hands and
knees craWls around the church kissing
the ikons on the walls, the affairs and
the tombs.
Then about 8 o'clock in the. morn
ing comes the blessing of the food.
The spectacle in the church is most
extraordinary; the people range all
their dishes in long rows through the
entire length of the church, leaving
only space enough between for the
priests to pass; the increasing numbers
generally compel the formation of lines
outside the church, and ever a consid-
cradle distance round it. The huge
and oddly shaped loaves called kulitshe,
the towers of white cheese, into which
many colored leaves of spice are inter-
woven, the former decorated with flow
ers, the latter bearing a burning wax
taper on it's summit, the heaps of red
colored ggs Jumps of sugar, pots of
honey, plats of preserved fruit, all these
painted, Illuminated, ~-colored,
strengthening eatables, and in such
have a curious effect. AS
the priest advances, sprinkling to the
right and left, and pronouncing the
blessing, while his attendants keep up
a constant chant, the people press
closer and closer, crossing themselves
and keeping a sharp watch hat their
and food get their due share. of ,
the purifying waters,
Spanish Custom.
Spain is another part of Europcl
where Easter is the one great day Of
the year. Particularly in Seville. the
professions wind through venuc of
in stately parade. In long
tableaux which illustrate the
story of the last days of Jesus on
earth, are borne. aloft on cars drawn
by gaily caparisoned horses. Similar
o~bservances take place in practically
all of the Spanish cities, among which
he celebration at Saragossa is note
as many pilgrims are attracted
to the famous cathedral at Easter time.
Easter is a great festival in Mexico
md all other Latin-American repub-
The hanging of Judas is one of
the strange customs seen in Mexico.
the first morning of Eastertide. the
of the towns and cities turn
'ut to hang him in effigy in all of the
principal highways. This day, and the
several following, is truly the Mexi-
cans Fourth of July. Dynamite ex-
fireworks and pistol shots
from morning until night.
Judas figures in every shape and
size. He hangs in every highway and
oyWay in the neighborhood of cities
and towns, and the traveller in the
Mountains will come. across him for
days afterwards, hanging from
.recs over the trails, where it is said 7
are put by bandits, who enjoy
as much as their less lawless
brothers.
In some places Judas is as huge as
l giant, and in others as diminutive
is a dwarf. He is perhaps clad in the
Uniform of a soldier or perhaps in
clothes, or perhaps naked.
Sometimes he is shot to pieces with
guns, and hacked with knives, but
at his best Judas is a veritabIe
tree for everyone neal him.
On these occasions he is stuffed with
'uns, cigarettes, ~sWeetmeats and other
gifts. ~Innumerable fuses are fitted to
hin, and in places he is loaded with
Thus ready for his fate he is
lung up. The signal is given a match
s touched to one of the fuses, and he
izzles and fumes and then explodes,