Middletown transcript., 1922-04-15

had sanctioned and dignified it. The
cOmmemOration of the passion OF
Christ was later identified with it, as
The Persians at the same season OBJ
serve their Renewal of the Year"
when the "Sun of Justice, the Savior
Of the World over Death Is resurrect-
ed" It was also the first month of
the year with the Druids. and the
worldwide custom of Easter fires
dates back to the primitive worship of
the seasons, as does much of the
worldwide watching for the Easter
Sunrise, when the golden orb leaps
three times in JOY" as even the canny
Scots who watch It's reflection in a
basin of water, will aver that 1t does.
Easter Sunday in Russia.
But the universal Significance of the
vicarious sacrifices and the emerging
through a season Of abnegatlon, into
new being, deepens rather than takes
from the religious holiday, which Is
never so devoutly kept as In Russia.
Along deserted thoroughfares of little
villages, or shoulder to shoulder with
De throngs surging through city
streets, in somber darkness 60 old and
young, high and low at midnight on
Easter. YEA. Christ is risen" their
challenge comes ringing back through
empty space or ripping in a hundred
echoes from the thick-packed masses
Of devotees. On Good Friday they
have all followed the black coffin
through the streets to the mournful
music of the military bands and her
aided by crepe-draped crucifix. Now
they press on, enter the church which
Is dark as the outside-darker. They
kneel, huddle together they wait.
Presently down the center aisle a
lighted lantern borne aloft on pole
comes, followed by the crucifix and
white clad priests, peering right and
left through the darkness. They are
the Procession of Searchers for the
Body" They reach the altar; they,
too, knee. They wait.
"Then comes the sound of shuffling
feet nearer and nearer" an eye wit
ness described it. Suddenly the
doors are pounded from without rap
idly and incessantly-a profane sound
that startles the stiffness into awaken
ing life. The kneeling figures at the
altar listen, rise and hurry down the
aisle. The doors are flung open and a
long procession enters, each bearing a
lighted candle-followed by the choir
chanting the glad news. From the
tapers rs the priests pass, people near
est In the heaving crowd light their
candles. Flame Is passed up and
down from hand to hand. A trail OF
fire flowers springs forth from the dusk
as though by magic until the gloon
lightens to rosy glow, the glow to a
sudden blaze of brilliance that CLEANS
on the Jewel burdened ikons-on sea
Of faces"
Bells Ring in Easter.
In Moscow the bells of the Kremlin
ring forth suddenly at midnight lu
unearthly sweetness the tower Is IL
Illuminated from base to cross at the
top, throwing radiant light around
the masses of kneeling humanity wait
ing there, and ON the mountainous
piles of cakes, each with Il candle
stuck into 1t waiting to be blessed.
In Rome, too, the day Is ushered IL
by the firing of cannons from the Cas-
tie of st. Angelo, and ever-swellin.
crowds, in carriages, afoot, surge OF
toward the magnificent basilica of st
Peters. Formerly the pope ofiiciated
borne into the church on the Sedi,
Gestatoria, his vestments ablaze IL
glory, a canopy of crimson and golt
above his head, and along beside hin
borne the flabelia, or large fans com
posed of rich peacock feathers-th
eyes Of which symbolic the eyes