The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1916-04-21

lem keeps the passover Win I'll inc
charm of its cosmopolitanism. and the
Mohammedans have their Easter pilgrimage TO
the grave of Moses,
The throng of Easter pilgrims from the whole
Christian world is very remarkable sight To
the westerner 1t is a revelation Of oriental Chris
tfanity In all its picturesque devotion. Greeks.
from all over the Levant; Armenians from Tur-
key, Persia and the Caucasus; HISTORIANS from
Mesopotamia and Persia: Syrians from Aleppo,
Damascus and Beyrout: Abyssnians from the
hermit land Of northeast Africa; Copts from
Egypt and from the ancient churches OF
southern India. and above ALL Russians who now
Adays form by far the largest contingent of pill
Rrims-all these races mingle with Latins from
western Europe with Germans English Ameri-
cans. Scandinavians.
In the midst of all. and presenting an indi
vtduality perhaps more distinct than all the 9th
ers. you see the Mohammedan master of the land
the Arab in his solemn garb and majestic bear
ing, and the Turkish official and soldier naughty
in the exercise Of his duty to keep the Christian
pilgrims In check and to preserve order.
Elaborate professions and ceremonials make
holy week In Jerusalem q gorgeous event, where
the intimate note OF the resurrection ia not con-
spicuous. Especially does 1t bring out the divi-
sion OF Christendom, strikingly shown In the
way in which Latins. Greeks. Armenians and
Copts share the Church Of the Holy Sepulcher.
Particularly at Easter the marvellous services Of
the Greek orthodox church convey the priority OF
this church in the Holy Land And OF these cere-
monies none. perhaps. il more impressive than
tbs. Of the washing Of feet on the Thursday be
fore Easter.
On that day a platform Is erected in the court
OF the church which is occupied by the Greek
bishop Of Jerusalem and IL high church digni-
tsrtes Court stairs inches and every corner Is
crowded by the faithful to witness the enact
ment Of the scene when Jesus washed the feet
Of his disciples. The parts Of Jesus John. Peter
and Judas are each given to an ecclesiastic.
and are read with fine simplicity. though the
story 10 told with q certain freedom from gospel
text.
At the end the patriarch washes the feet OF
the II clertcs, and, repeating Jesus words. Let
us TO- for he that will betray me 10 Nigh" gives
the signal to arise and they all withdraw to the
church Then an olive branch. hanging over the
chancel of the platform. Is pulled up to the roof
Of the church amid shouts Of Joy.
Next day Good Friday. all the lights in the
HOLY Sepulcher church are extinguished. This Is
symbolical of the agony and death OF our Lord
and OF his descent to hell, when the light Of the
we'd wa taken away for a brief space Then
on saturday the lights rekindled-by a super
natural agency, the tradition goes. Az the
church digpitaries pray in the chapel OF the
sepulcher araped in deep mourning. the stone
gathers a peculiar moisture which rises as va
nor and. suddenly bursting into \ divine name.
k,ndles this lights. 1t is the custom OF the people
to light candles from one another. and the faith
full believe that the first Of these candles is KIN
died from that supernatural hre.
The dawn of Easter Sunday Is celebrated by a
MAGNIFICENT procession which enacts. in impress
svely dramatic fashion. the events OF the resur-
rection morn, when the women found the grave
open and empty Then the Easter greeting re-
sounds Christ is risen!" and the response, He
ia truly risenl" The Greek mass. celebrated by
20 priests ends the ceremony.
Although the Easter Of the orthodox church