South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-04-13
HOLY WEEK To Be
OBSERVED HERE
Noon Meetings at 7. M. C. A.
and Daily Services in
Several Churches.


now and Easter. Members Of the
Ministerial association have adopted
plan Of holding special services
at the Y. II. c. A. every noon during
the week. Special evening lenten
services will be held in many Of the
churches during the week.
Perhaps one OF the most striking
services among the Catholic churches
OF the city viii be the chanting of
the tsnebrae BY the priests OF Holy
Cross at Notre Dame in Sacred
Heart church on Wednesday, Thurs
day and Friday evenings.
This service Is called the "tene-
brae" from the Latin word dark
ness" because this office was for
merly celebrated during the night,
and even when the hour was an
ricipated the name of tenebrae was
kept. bet aUse. although il began
with daylight. II ended after the sun
had set. That practice is now kept
up only in mOnasteries and con
vents OF strietest observance. Each
OF its divisions is styled a nocturp
or nightly prayer. Everything is
expressive Of the grief pressing upon
the church.
The most striking feature OF this
ONCE is the large triangular candle
stick placed at the epistle side OF
the altar.
At the apex OF this triangle is a
white candle, with seven yellow
candles on either side. AT the END
OF each psalm or canticle one of
the candles is exinguished During
the singing OF the Benodictus tho
six candles on the altar are put out.
Then the one remaining lighted can
die Is taken and placed behind the
altar during the recitation Of a
PRAYER. At the conclusion of the
prayer. Il slight noise being made,
the candle is brought from behind
the altar and remains burning even
after the services are over.
Origin is Obscure.
The origin 70 the practice is hid
den I'm obscurity. The number of
lights used differed. one writer says
that in his time the church was
lighted up with "a candles. which
were gradually extinguished 10 show
how the sun Of justice had set
Another writer says that in some
churches all the candles were ex-
tinguished at once by a hand made
Of wax 10 represent that of Judas
IN others they were all quenched by
a moist sponge passed over them 10
show the death 70 Christ, and on the
next day fire was struck from a
flint by which they we're again
kindled 70 show that he had risen
again.
The noise made at the conclusion
Of the service is supposed 10 remind
one of the commissions of nature ar
The SaviOur's death, and the produc-
ton Of the light still burning and
shedding its lights abroad, recalls
the resurrection Of the Saviour and
his effulgence or the " orld
Closely associated with this wee k
Is the passion flower This strange
blossom which has a calyN of sepals
and coroIia OF five petals, all being
joined together TO form a shallow
cup just inside OF which grows i
curious fringe, unlike any other
flower. From the bottle of the
flowers chalice rises a little stalk
from a tiny shelf or pedestal
on this erect stalk are five stamens
with the ovary in the center. and
from this rise three styles bearing
the stigma
Represent Apostles.
According 10 the views Of some
/ the ten divisions represent the ten
| apostles-nOt counting Peter, who
defied his Lord. nor Judas. the be
trayer. The curious fringe is be
lieved TO represent the crown OF
thorns: the spreading five fingered
leaves. the outstretched hands OF
scoffers; the tendrils the lashes OF
the scourges: the stalk the pillar Il
which Christ was tied, the five an
theirs. the FIVE wounds: and the di-
visions of the triple pistfl the three
nails By which He was fastened "a
the cross.
Today is Palm sunday. the Sunday
before Easter. which is the opening
OF Holy week. The name Palm
Sunday is so called from the palm
branches which were strewn before
Jesus Christ on his public entry into
Jerusalem.
THURSDAY OF this week is known
as Maundy Thursday. The name i.
n corruption OF the latin word mean
ing commandment. The day com
nemOrates the last supper and the
washing of the disciples feet The
custom of washing the feet Of l.
men representing the j. disciples i.
still observed on this day by III
Pope in Rome. by the Gree
churches. az the court iG Vienna
and locally by the Dunkers.
Anniversary OF Death.
Good Friday is the anniversar,
Of Christ's passion and death. In
the Roman Catholic ritual the or.
binary mass is replaced 10y a mass
with d host consecrated on Thurs
day. The officiating clergymen wea'
black vestments, the affairs are strip
ped Of all their linen and ornaments
the lights extinguished and all bell.
and Instruments are silenced
Easter sunday marks the point o
separation between the Christianit,
=, and the ole Jewish dispenSation. Tn,
date OF its observance was fixed b,
the early church. so that Easte,
would not coincide with the Jewisl
Pasch. III is the SUNDAY next afte