Rocky Ford enterprise., 1916-04-21


lem keeps the passover with all the
charm of its cosmopolitansm, and even the
Mohammedans have their Easter pilgrimage to
the grave of Moses.
The throng of Easter pilgrims from the whole
Christian world is q very remarkable sight To
the westerner it is 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; Abyssnians 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
grms-all these races mingle with Latins from
western Europe, with Germans English Ameri-
cans, Scandinavians
In the midst of all, and presenting an indi-
viduality perhaps moro distinct than all the 9TH
ers you see the Mohammedan master of the land
tho 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, strikingly shown in the
way In 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 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
bisbop of Jerusalem and 10 high church digni-
taries Court, stairs, inches and every corner Is
crowded by the faithful to witness the enact
mept of the scene when Jesus washed the feet
NJ his disciples The parts of Jesus, John, Peter
and Judas are each given to an ecclesiastlc'
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 CO. for he that will betray me is nlgh' gives
the signal to arise, and they all withdraw to the
church. Then an 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
svmboIica, of the agony and death of our Lord
and of his descent to hell, when the light or the
wc-ld was taken away for brief space. Then'
on saturday the lights are rekindled-by super
natural agency so the tradition goes AS the
church diguitaries pray in the chapel OF the
senulcher araped in deep mourning the stone
patbers a peculiar moisture which rises as a va
nor and suddenly bursting into divine name
kindles thu lights. 1t is the custom OF the people
IN light candles from one another, and the falth'
full believs that the first OF these candles Is KID
died from that supernatural fire.
The dawn of Easter Sunday Is celebrated by
magnificent procession which enacts, in impress
sIveIv dramatic fashion, the events OF the resur-
rection MORN when the women found the grave
anon and empty Then the Easter greeting re-
sounds Christ ia risen!" and the response He
"a truly risen!" The Greek mass, celebrated by
40 priests ends the ceremony.
Although the Easter of the orthodox church