The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1916-04-22

lem keeps the passover with all the
charm of its coSmopolitanism' and even the
MOhammedans have their Easter pilgrimage 10
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; HISTORIANS from
Mesopotamia and Persia; Syrians from AleppO
Damascus and Beyrout; Abyssinians from the
hermit land Of northeast Africa; Copts from
Egypt. and men from the ancient churches of
southern India, and, above all. Russians who now
adays form by far the largest contingent of pill
gr1ms-a1 these races mingle with Lat1ns from
western Europe. with Germans, English. Amert
cans, Scandinavians
In the midst of all. and presenting indi
viduality perhaps more distinct than all the 9TH
ers, you 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 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, Armen1ans 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, 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 II 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 ecclesiastic,
and are read with fine simplicity, though the
story is told with certain freedom from gospei
text.
At the end the patriarch washes the feet OF
the ~ clerics, and, repeating Jesus words, Let
us 60 for he that will betray 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
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 a super
natural agency, the tradition goes. As the
church dignitaries pray in the chapel OF the
seuulcher draped in deep mourning. the ston3
gathers q 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 kim
died 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-
rec.ion morn when the women found the grave
omen and empty. Then the Easter greeting re-
sounds Christ is risen!" and the response, He
is truly risen!" The Greek mass. celebrated by
40 priests, ends the ceremony.
Although the Easter of the orthodox church