Judsonia weekly advance., 1916-04-19

5 %SDS% growing Jewish population of Jerusa
 lem keeps the passover with all the charm of it's cosmopolitanism, and even 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 it is revelation of oriental Chris tianity in all it's picturesque devotion. Greeks, from all over the Levant; Armenians from Tur key, Persia and the Caucasus; Nestorians from Mesopotamia and Persia; Syrians from Aleppo, Damascus and Beyrout; Abyssinians 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 grims-al these races mingle with Latns from western Europe, with Germans, English, Ameri- cans, Scandnavians.
 In the midst of all, and presenting indi- viduality perhaps distinct than all the oth- 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 processions and ceremonials make holy week in Jerusalem gorgeous event, where the intimate note of the resurrection is not con- spicuous. Especially does it bring out the diyi- sion of Christendom, so strikingly shown in the way in which Latins Greeks, Armenians and Copts share the Church of the Holy Sepucher.
 
 the Greek orthodox church convey the priority of this church in the Holy Land. And of these cere- monies none, perhaps, is more impressive than that of the washing of feet on the Thursday be- fore Easter.
 On that day platform is erected in the court of the church, which is occupied by the Greek bishop of Jerusalem and 12 high church digni- taries 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 snd Judas are each given to an ecclesiastic, and are read with fine simplicity, though the story is told with certain freedom from gospel text.
 At the end the patriarch washes the feet of the 12 clerics and, repeating Jesus words, Let us go, for he that will betray me is nigh, gives the signal to arise, and they all withdraw to the church Then 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 world was taken away for a brief space. Then, on Saturday, the lights rekndled-by super natural agency so the tradition goes. AS the church dignitaries pray in the chapel of the sepulcher draped in deep mourning, the stone gathers a peculiar moisture which rises as va DOT and suddenly bursting into diving flame, k.ndles the lights. It is the custom of the people to light candles from another. and the faith full believe that the first of these candles is kin dled from that supernatural fire.
 The dawn of Easter Sunday is celebrated by magnificent procession which enacts. in impress sively 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 Is truly risen!" The Greek mass. celebrated by 70 priests ends the ceremony.
 Although the Easter of the orthodox church