Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-04-07
SOLEMN SERVICE
ON GOOD FRIDAY
Air of Gloom and DeSolation
Rests Over Sanctuary in I'M
preSSive Observance

The Catholic Church held a strik-
ingly impressive liturgy in her observ-
ance of Good Friday yesterday. On
this day the church commentaries
the sufferings of the Redeemer and
His crucitiXion on Mount Calvary.
Good Friday is the saddest and most
solemn day of the entire ecclesiastical
year.
An air of gloom and desolation rest
ed over the sanctuary yesterday
morning as the clergy entered to be-
gin the Good Friday observance. The
priests were vested in black as at a
funeral mass. There were no can
dies alight upon the altar at which
the ceremonies were to be conducted
and the altar cloths were missing.
The priests on entering the sanctuary
prostrated themselves at the foot of
the main altar and remained thus in
silent prayer and meditation for sew
eral minutes.
Dwell on SufTerings
A few moments before the clergy
arose a sanctuary boy placed the altar
cloths and another lighted the candles.
The celebrant advanced to the epistle
side of the altar and read passages
from the Old Testament. Then was
read that portion of the Gospel of st.
John which relates the events Leading
up to and Immediately attending the
sufferings of Jesus and His death upon
the cross. At the close of the Gospel
the celebrant offered the special pray
ers of the day for all conditions OF
men, for the hierarchy, for the pros
perity of Christian people, for cate
chumens, heretics, Jews and pagans.
The crucifX was taken, from its
place above the main altar and the
l.
moved. The image of the Crucited
Redeemer was held aloft by the cele-
brant that all might view it and make
their prayerful veneration. Then both
clergy and people kissed the crucifiX.
Mass of Pre-Sanctifled
While the congregations of the
various churches were veneratlng the
cross. the assisting clergy chanted the
"Improperia," which are reproaches
delivered in dramatic form by Jesus to
the Jewish people. The Improperia
begin with the words: My people
what have 1 done to thee, wherein
have I vexed thee? Answer me. Each
of the Improperia is followed by the
Trisagion, in Latin and in Greek. 1t
derives it's name from the fact that the
word holy is uttered in its thrice.
The Trisagion is a brief hymn with
these words: 20 holy God, holy ana
strong. holy and immortal, have mercy
on us. Inc 1rlSdBiol was lH'i OuuNS
at Constantinople and was of Greek
origin. 1t is probable that for TINS
reason it is recited in Greek in the
ceremonial of Good Friday
Mass is not offered on Good Friday
but instead a service known as The
Mass of Pre- -Sanctified" is observed.
The celebrating priest receives at his
Holy Communion the consecrated host
reserved from Holy Thursday for this
purpose for there being no mass there
is no conservation. Nc bell calls the
attention of the congregation to the
solemn parts of the service on GOOD
Friday but instead a wooden clapper
is used. The organ is hushed.
All day on Good Friday the people
make visits to the church and contem-
plate the great act of their redemp-
ton. Shortly before 8 o'clock, the
hour of the Saviour's death, the devo-
ton of the way of the cross was made,
priest and people making mediation
before each of the fourteen pictures
in the churches that represent stages
in the journey of Jesus from the hall
of PLATE. The last two pictures, or
stations show Jesus taken down from
the cross and laid in the tomb.
1t is a pious custom of many to re-
main in prayer and meditation be-
tween noon and o'clock in honor OF
the three hours agony of Jesus on the
cross.