American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1919-04-25

lnIOuBn HH bItllHB lnihc ll
the purpose in The side of the holy tomb. 1t Is
then made uve of to light candles with which every
w|orshlper Is equipped. The intention Is to sym
bolize the descent Of the Holy Spirit. The candles
nre kept MS sacred relics and are ~relighted only at
marriages, births and deaths.
The reception of the fire is the work Of the
patriarch. He appears Mt the head of a gorgeous
procession of observation-disclosures, archbishOps
and prlestn. 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 a blazing
torch. Men have been appointed to snatch the
torch. These light their own candles and pass 1t
on to their neighbors; every burning candle be
comes II train leading on the sacred fire to II hun
dred others. Robert Kitchens description Of the
scene Is In part this:
at came at last. With n fierce gesture as OF
savage exultation the long-hnired priest withdrew
his arm from the hole and held up a great bunch
of flaming candles. And then delirium seized the
close-paclled thousands. All the mouths opened to
let out yells, shrieks and the wild tltterings Of
women. All the arms gesticulated with frenzy
toward tAe 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 patrl.
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-spungled
dome masses OF candles were let down Icy long
cords, were lighted by priests below and were
drawn up flaming. Fire encircled the rOtundn,
three tiers of fire. Through the glare, the
smoke, the roaring, the procession bishops
and priests. accompanied by soldiers, by a~colytes,
by banner bearers, by cnnvasses 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, clad In the jewels OF their wonderful
treasury and the withered-looking Copts and the
astounding Abysslnians, In magenta, with partly
shaved heads and great tufts OF coars hair, like
the gaudy puppets teat people a nightmare"
From time immcmorial the Christians of Jeru.
salem have observed she events of ChriSt's passion.
death and resurrection in complete and dramatic
fashion, and IL was from Jerusalem that Easter
customs spread TO other parts of the world. The
earliest record Of these ohScrSuncVs is In .3S5. At
that time the Christians stroye 10 realize by pp-
propriate ceremony and ritual the events Of the
last acts In the life of Jesus. Each event was com
mcmOratod. as far as possible, ON the spot of It's
occurrence. The proper passages from the Gospel
were read and appropriate prayers were said rs
the clergy and people went In procession from
place 60 placc--Bethany, Gethsemane, Golgotha.
the sepulcher and olivet. IL was during the mid.
ale ages that the character of the ceremonies
changed greatly. taking ON spectacular features
which have persisted TO the present day.
Tradition with more or less accuracy has fixed
the course nf the Via Dolorosa and the Ia stations
at which the chief events ON the way to the cross
occurred. II Is followed by thousands OF visitors
ON Easter wick. d
Easter is the principal festival Of the Christian