Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1921-03-17
AT UNIVERSALIST VESPER.
EPISODES FROM SEEKER
TO BE PRESENTED


Palm Sunday, the Sunday before
Easter, is celebrated in commemora-
ton of the triumphal entry of Christ
into Jerusalem, when "a very great
multitude spread their garments in
the way; others cut down branches
the way (Matthew 21:S.) 1t fol-
lowed, however, that the ardor of the
multitude cooled quickly and on the
following Friday he was put to death
at the behest of the same mob that
SO joyously acclaimed his coming
1t is certain that from the tenth
century of the Christian era, and pos
sibly from the fifth, this day has been
called Palm Sunday for the church
ordained that on this day palms
should be carried in procession in
imitation of those strewn before the
Saviour. The palms were consecrated
by the priests and a portion of them
burned for holy ashes to lay on the
heads of the people on. Ash Wednes-
day of the following year. The rest
were distributed among the lesser
priests and among the congregation.
Represented Christ
In the, professions that took place
a priest carrying the host, sometimes
rode upon an, ass to represent Christ,
while at other times the figure re-
presenting Christ was Of wood and
rode on a wooden figure of an ass
drawn ON wheels. The people throw
their palm branches down before the
wheels and afterwards picked them
up again to preserve them as charms
against storms and lightning.
In England the willow was much
used in place of the palm. People
would walk out of the cities to gather
the branches and wear them home.
When Henry VIII broke with the
church of Rome he decreed that the
custom of carrying palms on Palm
Sunday should not be discontinued,
but the formal observance of the feast
fell into disuse during the reign of
Edward VI. One form of the cere-
mony in vogue in some of the pro-
yincial churches was called the Pax
or Peace Cake. The people broke
small cakes and shared them with
one another in token of the spirit of
peace and brotherhood with which
they wished to greet the Easter sea-
son
In Rome genuine palms are used
in place of olive branches and others
used in some places. The 5alnls used
in the ceremonies at st. PEERS have
for generations come from the little
village of San Reno, near Genoa. The
story relates that His Holiness SiXtus
V desired to move an obelisk from
the circus of Caligula and Nero TO the
middle of the piazza of ST. Peters.
The operation was a difficult one and
the best architect of the time was put
in charge of the work. During the
final raising of the monument q COM
2land of absolute silence on pain of
death had been put upon the multi
tude so that the commands of the ar
chitect might be heard without diff
Guilty. AS the obelisk was being
raised into place, the ropes caught
fire from friction and some hundreds
of workmen were imperiled.
Called for Water
In the stupefied silence that fol-
y lowed, a voice in the crowd called for
water on the ropes. This was done
and the accident was averted, hut the
speaker was arrested and brought re-
fore the pope. His Holiness asked
the man his name and whether he did
not know that he had incurred the
death penalty by his words OIL the
square outside. The man replied that
he was Bresca of San Reno, and
while he knew that his life was forfeit.
vet he was also aware that he had
saved the lives of many worlrnen.
Upon being asked what reward ne
desired for his act he replied that for
himself he wanted nothing, but begged
fer his fellow-countrymen of the Ital-
ian Riviera the privilege of supplying
st. Peters with the palms used in the
Pain Sunday service. This was
grs snted by His Holiness and the
privilege was ma ie permanent, en-
during, il is said, to this day.
Most of the early customs have fall
len into disuse in nearly all countries
although in Spain many of the ancient
usages remain. In many of the
churches the palm still plays an i'm
portant part in the service, though
perhaps not SO extensively in this
country. Special services are OBJ
served and the day ranks with the
important holidays of the. church.
AT. st. Pauls church class of
fifty-nine children are to be confirmed
on Palm Sunday The names of the
children were published in last weeks
issue of The Pilot as were also those