Evening journal., 1915-04-02
MOST Solemn OF
DAYS IN Church.
Good Friday Observed by
Many Congregations
Today
CATHOLIC AFFAIRS
VOID OF DECORATION

Good Friday was observed in Della
ware as legal holiday TO-DAY for the
first time, a Law providing for the Oh
servance of the day being signed by
Governor Charles II. Miller several
days ago. IL wds introduced In the
recent Legislature by State Senator
Thomas f. Gormley.
All banks, city and county and Fed-
eral departments were closed. There
was one mail delivery this morning
and at noon The stamp windows al
the postOliiCe were closed for the Gay.
Public and parochial schools held
no sessions tQldy and many churches
and religious services wers held.
With bells silenced and the affairs
free of any kind of decorations. the
churches today marked the anuiver-
sary Of the death of Christ upon the
cross the most solemn day i'm the
Christian calendar The members of
the churches will assemble this after
noon and tonight to hear of the pas
sion and death Of Christ, and tomor-
row will begin TO prepare for the glor-
! iOus feast of Easter
Catholics began the observance this
morning at about 9 o'clock with tho
mass Of the pre-sanctifed The host
used in the mass was consecrated
! yesterday and carried in procession 20
the repository. where it remained un-
Ill the procession was formed this
morning md it is returned to the
main altar After the mass the SER
vice of removing the purple veil from
\ the crucifiX took place and then the
veneration of the cross was held. The
members of tho church approached
the altar rail and kissed the feet Of
tho image of the Redeomor. There
will be stations of the cross fer the
children this afternoon and again to-
night
Three-HOur Services Today.
Many Protestant churches. as well
as Catholic, held the three-hour SER
vice today. This began at noon and
viii continue until o'clock. The
seven last words of Christ on the
cross will be contemplated and a SER
mon delivered on each word These
services always attract great throngs
OF people. and are the most Impress
i've of the week. In many of the Pro-
tostant churches at night special song
service commemorating the passion
and death will be held Siainer's
"CrucifXion' being the favorite can
tata. Pastors will address the con-
gregations. and there will be special
prayers.
The institution Of communion was
celebrated Yesterday in practically nll
the churches Those Protestant
churches which follow the custom Of
giving communion held a communion
service at night There is only one
mass on Holy Thursday in Catholic
churches. but communion was ad-
ministcred early in the morning be-
fore the mass. At the fgloria" OF
this mass all the bells in the church
were rung and then they were
silcncod and will remain so until the
mass tomorrow.
All Of the repositories were beauti-
fully decorated and thousands visited
the various churches i'm the afternoon
to view them and TO say a prayer One
OF the principal services of the day
was that at the Cathedral when
Bishop Monaghan blessed all the oils
that are used throughout tho year in
the administration of the sacraments.
These oils were distributed TO the
pastors today
Tc Bless Baptlsma Waters.
The concluding service of Holy
Week will be observed tomorrow.
Services are confined almost wholly
TO Catholic churches. There will be
lCng service before the mass. when
the haptismal waters and the affairs
and the paschal candles will be bless
ed The service is one of the most
elaborate of the entire year in the
church. The Easter water is blessed
and distributed to those who called
for it. Affairs will then be decorated
and preparations made for celebrating
Easter the following day. Today and
tomorrow are days OF rigorous fast
ing and abstinence for Catholics