Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1921-07-02
CEREMONIAL RITES
IMPRESSIVE ON GOOD
FRIDAY IN AB|QU|u
Wierd Chanting and Instru-
mental Music Is OutdOne by
Self Inflicted Punishment.

Albuquerque Correspondence Oh
the Associated Press.) A description
of the Good Friday rites of the Peni-
tents sect at Abiquiu, New Mexico is
given by Mrs. Aida f. Sims. of
Albuquerque, who was an eye witness
of one of these observances. 1t was
at this village that party from
crosses this year for twenty five
| minutes, as the climax of the rites.
| Mrs. Sims story started with the ar
rival at the village.
The 'morada' or Penitente chapel
was tasty picked out nesting on the
hillside" she said Eve found a
| women lighting eighteen candles on a
large triangle of wood placed in front
of the alter. We could see that the
images of the saints and the figures of
Christ were draped in black.
Chanting Opens Ceremonies.
'The women and the girls knelt in
front Of the altar on strip of canvas
stretched upon the dirt floor. and be-
gan to sing The men and boys who
had been lingering outside came troop
ing in and knelt; then three old men
and one woman walked round and
round the triangle, passing in front
OF the alter with genuflexion while
the responsive chanting was going on.
1--WE stepped outside. A faint. plain
tive piping attracted my friend and
she observed, That is the Penitente
'pito' or flute. You will hear tnat
wherever they are.
1.-THE next morning we heard the
notes Of the pito again. Below me on
trail issuing from a canyon. wound a
little procession, headed by the 'pitero'
or flute player, who walked backward
Practice Self Inflicted Agony.
But the center figure caught and
held the gaze-a figure stripped to the
waist. with blood-drenched trousers
figure that at each step struck itself
with a great whip that came away
blood stained.
SLAP. slap came the crack of the
lash. But the penitent made no sound.
His head was covered with great
black sack Beside him boy walked.
carrying pail filled with salt water,
into which the whip was dipped from
time to time.
: I'm front of him walked a woman
carrying hymnal, and singing wall
ing chant.
THE procession made its way to the
graveyard, where. walking over stones
and briars, the believers Frustrated
themselves and kissed the cross.
The flaglant then made circuit
of the cemetery, and the procession
returned to the morada over the stony
path-a distance of half mile each
way. The slow and tortuous Journey
consumed one hour and twenty
One Carries Cross.
In another procession seen the same
day by Mrs Sims, one of the penitentes
shouldered cross up the steep path
to "Calvario. accompanied by flag
clients. Once the cross-bearer Stun
bled and fell, and his companion laid
the great wooden beam .npon him SO
that he was pinned to the path be-
meath it.
When the crest Of the hill was
reached. the worshippers began making
the return trip down the hill on their
knees.
Later in the day. Mrs Sims attend
ed the services of las tiniebles'' in
the chapel. These services represent
the hours Of darkness and chaos that
followed Immediately after the death
of Jesus on the cross. The witness
thus describes the scene:
mysterious Occurrences.
'The babies were taken out. the
door and windows covered with blan-
kets, the candles Of the wooden tri-
angle gradually extinguished. Just be-
fore the last light went out, a weird
sound came through the wall. as
though it were issuing from the bowels
of the earth. The brother in charge
of the rites conversed with the sup
posed lost SOUL
Then the last candlelight flickered
out, plunging us into thick blackness,
Instantly the most deafening noise l !
had ever heard broke loose at close
quarters. Chains ratified and clanked
Pitos mingled with
wooden rattles. The sound Of whips
lashing flesh was heard.
Il changed my seat in the darkness. !
A heavy chain fell on my foot. THE |
inferno ceased, and the candles were
relighted. There the Brother Of Light, |
which is another name for Penitente.
stood calm and unruffled. There was
not q chain in sight"
THE ONLY WAY.
this evening gown 10 90 low
nws that big mole.