The Elbert County tribune., 1916-04-21

lem keeps the passover with all the
charm OF its cosmopoltansm, and even the
Mohamme edans have their Easter pilgrimage to
the grave of Moses
The throng OF Easter pilgrims from the whole
Christian world is a very remarkable sight To
the westerner II Ia revelation OF oriental Chris
tianity In all its picturesque devotion. Greeks.
from all the Levant; Armenians from Tur
key. Persia and the Caucasus; HISTORIANS from
Mesopotamia and Persia: Syrians from Aleppo
Damascus and Beyrout Abyssinans from the
hermit land OF northeast Africa; C3pts 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-alI these races mingle with Latins from
western Europe with Germans, English Ameri
cans ScandnavIans.
In the midst of all. and presenting indi
viduality 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 ceremon!als make
holy week In Jerusalem q gorgeous event. where
the intimate note OF the resurrection is not con-
spicuous Especially does It bring out the divi-
sion OF Christendom so strikingly shown in the
way in which Latins. Greeks. Armenans 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. is more impressive than
that 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-
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
and Judas are each given to an eccesastic.
and are read with fine simplicity, though the
story is told with a certain freedom from gospel
text
At the END the patriarch washes the feet OF
the 12 clerics. and. repeating Jesus words. Let
us CO. for he that will betray me is nigh. gives
the signal to arise, and they all withdraw to the
church Then an olive branch. hanging over the
chancei 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
symbocal OF the agony and death of our Lord
and of his descent to hell. when the light OF the
we'd taken away for BRIEF space. Then.
on saturday the lights are rekinded-by a super
natural agency 80 the tradition goes. AS the
church digntaries pray In the chapel OF the
sepuicher draped in deep mourning the ston,
gathers a peculiar moisture which rises as va
nor and suddenly bursting into divine flame.
k,ndles the lights. It 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 ire.
The dawn OF Easter Sunday Is celebrated by
magnificent procession which enacts. in impress
sively dramatic fashion. the events Of the resur-
rectiop morn. when the women found the grave
open and empty. Then the Easter greeting
sounds "Christ is risen!" and the response. He
ia truIv risen.' The Greek mass. celebrated by
40 priests ends the ceremony
Although the Easter of the orthodox church