The free press. (Poplarville, Miss.) 1890-19??, 1919-04-10

the purpose in the side of, the holy tomb 1t is
then made of to light candles with which every
worshiper is equipped. The intention is to SYM
boze the descent of the Holy Spirit. The candles
kept sacred relics and are reghted only at
marriages, births and deaths.
The reception of the fire is the work of the
patriarch. He appears at the head of a gorgeous
procession of Observation-Disclosures. archbishops
and priests. He leads his followers three times
around the holy tomb and enters when passing the
doorway the third time leaving his followers
standing by Shortly after the holy fire" appears
through the opening In the form of blazing
torch. Men have been appointed to snatch the
torch. These light their candles and pass it
on to their neighbors; every burning candle be-
comes a train leading the sacred fire to hun
dred others. Robert Hichens' description Of the
scene is In part this:
"It came at last. With fierce gesture Of
savage exultation the long-haired priest withdrew
his arm from the hole and held up a great bunch
Of flaming candles. And then delirium seized the
close-packed thousands. All the mouths opened to
let out yells, shrieks and the wild offerings of
women All the arms gesticulated with frenzy
toward the smoky yellow flames. All the bodies
struggled desperately. cruelty to get to them. And
the priest dipped his torch, and suddenly fire be-
gan to rush through the great church. The patr-
arch tore out Of the holy sepulcher and fell In
the Greek cathedral with the fire In his hands
From the balconies near the blue star-spangled
dome masses Of candles were let down by long
cords, were lighted by priests below and were
drawn I'D flaming Fire encrced the rotunda
three tiers of fire. . Through the glare the
smoke the roaring, the procession bishops
and priests, accompanied by soldiers, by acolytes
by banner bearers, by canvasses beating the floor
with their slaves. Down the avenue Of
banners and muskets and torches came bearded
and long haired men In magnificent vestments,
and the gorgeous Armenians, almost like NOV
ing idols chad in the jewels of their wonderful
treasury; and the withered-looking Copts and the
astounding Abyssinians, in magenta. with partly
shaved heads and great tufts of coars hair like
the gaudy puppets that people nightmare"
From time immemorial the Christians of Jeru-
salem have observed the events of Christs passion,
death and resurrection in complete and dramatic
fashion. and 1t was from Jerusalem that Easter
customs spread to other parts OF the world. The
earliest record of these observances is in 1885, AT
propriate ceremony and ritual the events of the
memorated, as far as possible on the spot of It's
occurrence. The proper passages from the Gospel
were read and appropriate prayers were said
the clergy and people went in procession from
place to place-Bethany Gethsemane Golgotha.
the sepulcher and Olvet. 1t was during the mid
die ages that the character Of the ceremonies
changed greatly. taking on spectacular features
which have persisted to the present day.
Tradition with more less accuracy has fixed
the course of the Via Doorosa and the IA stations
at which the chief events on the way to the
occurred 1t is followed by thousands of visitors
on Easter week.
Easter Is the principal festival Of the Christian