Norwich bulletin., 1919-04-19
BLESSING The PALMS.

Dear Sisters of the Social Corner: |
Ancient customs have a certain ma
jesty. The solemn feast of the Bless
ing of the aims. religious rite dat
ing back to the beginning of the rit-
ualistic ceremonies Dracticed in the
ancient eastern churches, the Greek
Catholic church and adopted by the
Russian church as its form of wor-
ship, was observed in all it's primeval
splendor at the Russian St. Nicholas
Cathedral on the Saturday evening
! preceding Palm Sunday. which with
! Easter, is the greatest of all the feasts
! of that church.
| The ritualistic ceremonies of the
Greek Catholic church have not de-
WAITED, from those originally practiced
i'll the beginning of the second CEN
fury, and are in every feature najes-
| tic. The liturgy. which is the center OF
Greek worship, is elaborate and COM
plicated, and no instrumental music is
permitted in Greek cathedra1s. Only
lin the Russian churches. does the Of
| floating priest address the people, and
that in the Greek or Slavonic tom
que.
Before the first candles glimmered
on the altar the gallery seats, which
are reserved for Americans and
strangers. were filed and in the
mosque below the communicates were
silently entering, prostrating them
selves before the altar, even kissing
the floor. The men and women are
segregated, and after the first saluta-
tons, the entire congregation remains
standing throughout the entire SER
vice, which sometimes lasts for three
or four hours.
i The cathedral was gradually light
ed by the steady procession of com
municants, each bringing candle
Il which was lighted, and placed around
the altar in groups. These candles are
lighted in memory of the dead.
The bishops throne was removed
from the center of the mosque, as
there are no seats. and the choristers
began to chant in solemn undertone
the funeral sentences which have
, echoed for centuries through the dim
I tcathedrals of Europe in observance OF
Holy Week, Many of these choristers
! have been singing in Tolstoy's Re
, demption, and there is probably nc
male musical organization in America
, with which this chorus can be COM
. ipared.
} Suddenly the cathedral was ablaze
i with light. and from the high altar
came the procession of priests led BY
E the archbishop, wearing a gold en-
broidered robe, with black biretta anC
! veil of black which extended nearly te
; the hem of his robe. The attendan
e priests also wore gorgeously embroid
cred gowns and black birettas. and a.
; the procession slowly walked to thu
, center of the mosque, the archbisho,
y kneellng, the attendant priests will
+ altar boys standing, and the people in
tently listening. the effect was mos
p impressive.
The entire service is whollv in tn
q no 19rya T 50
n low the visible forms .bu. as it pro
eeeded the little children informail
grouped themselves on the steps o
p the altar. and one after another light
+ ed candle to be placed with the 9th
If ers, the sonorous voices of the priest
: and the responsive choristers filled tn
o mosque. their voices rising higher an
r higher, then dying away to a whisper
: AS the palms were brought forwar
O the archbishop arose and through tt
II clouds OF incense and above the flick
ering candle lights, in the Slavoni
- tongue in mystic symbols with hi
q wand blessed those palms in memoir
a OF those that were strewn along til
4 way before the last journey to Cal
vary. The palms were distribute
among the congregation, and |, anon
iothers, went forward to receive
,e handful.
AiASfl tlle people llOCked TO the arch
/ bishop and as they pressed to his sid,
~ he marked in the forehead of each up
n lifted face, the way of the cross.
IS 1t was certainly a glimpse into TIL
y ancient rites of a mighty people a pic
turesque symbolism of the earl
l. Christian era, and of those who wsr
y went to gather in the first DAYS {
n christianity to celebrate the feast {
'eI the Palms; and. moreover to waite
the lncessant throng of people carry
mi ing candles to place on the altar /
id memory of their dead, each holding
WIsp of palms. and pressing forwar
al to receive from the archbishop, til
is imprint Of the cross on their forehead
If AS [ questioned the American prizes
Iwho stood by my side. on the variot
t. symbols which were not understood
/ he told me that he was a convert, an
almost wished as I looked at thu
iworshipful throng. that ]. too, n,igl
ibelieve.
II THE LITTLE SPINSTER,
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