The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1916-04-21

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 a revelation of oriental Chris
tlanity in all it's picturesque devotion. Greeks
from all over the Levant; Armenians from Iur-
key Persia and the Caucasus; HISTORIANS from
Mesopotama 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 or pill
grims-all these races mingle with Latins from
western Europe, with Germans, English, Ameri-
cans, Scandinavians.
In the midst of all. and presenting an indf
viduality perhaps more dasinct 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
I'm the exercise of his duty to keep the Christian
pilgrims in check and to preserve order
Elaborate professions and ceremonials make
holy week i'm Jerusalem a gorgeous event, where
the intimate note of the resurrection is not con-
spicuous Especially does it bring out the divi-
sion of Christendom. so strkngly shown In the
way I'm 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 Oh
this church in the Holy Land. And Of these cere-
monies none perhaps, Is more impressive thah
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 dlgn-
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 ecclesastic'
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 ~ clerics and. repeating Jesus words, Let
us 60 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
cbancel 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 Sepucher church extinguished. This Is
symbolical OF the agony and death OF our Lord
and of his descent to hell. when the light OF the
wor,s was taken away for brief space. Then,
| on Saturday the lights rekindled-by super
natural agency, so the tradition goes AS the
church dgnitaries pray In the chapel Oh the
| sepulcher draped In deep mourning the stone
| gathers a peculiar moisture which rises as va
| nor and, suddenly bursting into divine name
kindles the lights II is the custom OF the people
| 10 light candles from another, and the faith
| full believe that the first OF these candles Is KIN
| died from that supernatural fire.
| The dawn OF Easter Sunday is celebrated by
| 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 risenl" and the response. lie
/ "a truly risenl" The Greek mass. celebrated by
/ 40 priests ends the ceremony.
! Although tho -Eastax OF the orthodox church