The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1916-04-20
From the Washington Star.

The Eastern season in every Christia
land present a series of pictures tn;
have a fascination for the student
history or religious progress apart fro,
their picturesque features. AS to II
most important festival of the eccles
lastical year. in COMMUNICATING as
does the supreme event in the gres
tragedy that forms the foundation {
the Christian faith, the elimination {
the divine mission to sinful humanit,
II Is onIy natural that if should be cele
prated with a great deal of pomp an
s~oleinn4ty, although it cannot be denie
tiat IN many instances the methods c
celebration, the forms n ceremonie:
can be traced back to secular and. i
many instances, to pagan sources.
They represent, as Il matter of fac
features OF old time faiths and belief
that, on account of their impressivenes
and the boons they conveyed, the peopl
were unwilling to abandon, and tn
early fathers of the church wisel.
adopted them in modified form an
adapted them to the teachings of Chris
tlanlty. AS al instance, may b.
quoted the attitude of ST. Paul toward
the altar erected by the Greeks to The
unknown God" which identity tn,
apostle ~tactfully connected with thu
God who's word he had come to preach
Italy, perhaps more than any Other
country, is the land of elaborate anC
49, - L-StCi lCIilOl4iCS. IIOIl
Rome, where the presence and par
tlelpation of the supreme pontif lenG
special state and Importance to all af-
ialrs OF the church, 10 the humbleSt viii
laSe, almost every community has its
WI peculiar customs and forms OF
ceremony for Easter, and many of them
are intensely interesting on aCcoun OF
their picturesque originality and their
religious or historical significance. All,
however, have for their final object the
impression on the human mind of the
significance of the event that occurred
nearly 1000 years ago at Jerusalem,
and in some way they are designed to
emphasize the grave Importance of the
Savior's sacrifice on Calvary. All over
Italy the custom prevails Of priests go
ing around Easter time blessing the
houses with holy water, while the
bishops go out in soleumn procession to
bless the baptismal fonts.
One of the most interesting cere-
monies in connection with the celebra-
ton of Easter in Italy is the "scoppio
del carro"-literally. the explosion of
the car-which takes place on the
square in front of the great Cathedral
of Florence Easter Saturday of every
year.
The ceremony is supposed to be in
some way connected with the carrying
OF the holy fire from the Church of the
Holy Apostles--one of the Oldest in the
:ity-to the cathedral. The fire is pro-
duced with the aid of flint and steel,
sne flint used for the purpose having
been brought from the holy sepulcher
Al Jerusalem during the crusades and
carefully preserved and used every
year for the same purpose, in the same
church, for upward of 500 years.
The original car for this ceremony
was furnished by a representative of
ehe ancient Pazzi family, an early
member OF which, with great trouble,
brought from the holy sepulcher al
Jesisalem TO Florence the holy fire
with which the lamps in the 'duomo'
were lighted and which burn e~ternally
In the sanctuary Previous to Easter
the great cuEa5rous car framed with
nsaFT -E1s9ers and mounted on four
low massive wheels. which is kent in q
tk2ree-story building in the Via del
Prato- purchased by the city for the
P1fpE-a16 IN which all the floors
lsFe tesl removed and the entire front
connected Ert1 4 huge 6Dorway-is re-
9seerazsaa Tor 1ha occasion and covered |
E1Gl fsSgcsoE1s OF GEeworks-squibs.
rraaSers- a9rragn candles. etc, in red,
@1zas and EEEs1-aL6 IN its festive ar
faF 11szs&s GglEse an imposing appear
aEa1s- In Ves&1GT, however. 1t is q per-
tseG place N patchwork, each succeed
E1g gsarE ceremony resulting in its
lzrr&aB Gsz1SGc-agn by fire and making
1ts zrdss or 3ess complete restoration
1ec+aaaET.
DRAWN bF sour stately white oxen.
ksT1 sD- this soas purpose on the
raggnatzEsaa farm. with gilded horns and
srlrass11 -ra9Dgt1gs, and with attend
snls 4IaE5F gorgeous of apparel. the
az EEcF@s p0Ederously from its winter
quarters 10 it's appointed station on.
pagits sle great doors of the cathedral
which are thrown wide open. From
z stand erected in front of the high
zitar 4 wire is stretched tightly to the !
car, and on this is mounted the dove
C0lumbina-a bird shaped wooden de-
propelled by a concealed mech
a.lfsm.
After the completion of the cere-
monies connected with the lighting Of
The Easter candle at the sacred fire. an
immense crowd being by this time as
sembied in the cathedral and on the
plaza, at about 1880 o'clock, the
celebration of the mass, which is so
timed that when the choir commences
to chant the Gloria in Excelsis Deoni
the great bell of the cathedral sounds
\ first stroke of noon. This is he
signal for every bell in the many
strictest Injunction since the preceding
Thursday, to burst into sound. and
throughout the city there prevails an
indescribable clangor.
AS the hrst stroke of the cathedral
bell Is heard q member of the POM
pieri. the city firemen, a detachment
OF whom has charge of this part of the
ceremony as a ~precaution against ac-
cldent. lights the fuse of the dove with
sacred fire from the altar and sets il
IN motion. Trailing a kissing flame. ii
u along the wire dow the aisle.
and. If all goes we'll, plunges into the
waiting car n ignites the fireworks
with which it is bedecked. This mis-
sion accomplished, the love returns
the altar.
In h meantime the crowds in the
cathedral and in the plaza have been
eagerly watching the fight Of the dove
TO the a and its return. If it travels
straight and without interruption to
Its goal. successfully accomplishes its
purpose n returns without hitch ar
delay to its station, all is well-a good
year, bountiful crops and good fortune
Tor the community are confidently an
tlcipated. If. as sometimes happens
something goes Mrnnr with tha Co..