The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1923-03-28
Easter Here
and Abroad


'@~~ ### y ~ ~ ~
Daybreak, Bethlehem. Not In Ju-
dea but In Pennsylvania. Church and
cemetery outside thronged with peo-
pie. many of them there since the night
before, all of them watching. waiting
for the sudden glad burst of music
from the marching choristers who
will come to herald In the sunrise an
nouncing that Christ is Risen %
For two days these Moravians have
kept celebration. On Friday at 10 80
they gathered for the beginning of
services which progressed in dramatic
intensity through The events Of Black
Friday, till 1t s O'Clock. the hour of
the crucifixion, they knelt to the toll
ing bell and the dirge-llke chant.
Christ is Dead Later at vespers
the Vigil of the Paschal Lamb was OBJ
served. and the Saturday services
were eliminated by a Love Feast dur
Ing which buns and coffee were served
by black-robed priests and the night
watch began, the end Of which was to
usher in the glad ridings which they
now acclaim, "Christ is Risen"
Universal Celebration.
At the same hour, in every civilized
country In the world, some version Of
the great religious drama of the ages
is being enacted with solemn music.
lighted candles, the odor Of lilies and
prayer That is why it Is almost a
shock at first TO realize that the East
or celebration did not originate with
the crucifixion Of Christ, but a~ntedates
his birth by many centuries. It's origin
is lost in the dim distance Of remote
antiquity and its name even Is that of
Eastre, Ostare, the Anglo-Saxon god
less of Spring to whom the fourth
month was dedicated and called East
er month";" According to Canon We
nable OF the Church of England. the
keeping of Easter was made a church
custom only after popular usage
had sanctioned and dignifed it. The
commemoration of the passion of
Christ was later identified with it. as
was the Jewish Feast of the Passover.
The Persians at the same season oh
serve their renewal Of the Year
when the "Sun Of Justice. the Savio
If the World over Death Is resurre1
ID" 1t was also the first month e
he year with the Druids, and til
vorld-wide custom of Easter fire,
latcs back to the primitive worship Of
he seasons. as does much of the
worldwide watching for the Easter
;unrise. when the golden orb leaps
hree times in JOY" as even the canny
Scots who watch It's reflection in ?
basin of water, will aver that it does
Easter Sunday in Russia.
But the universal significance of the
eicarious sacrifices and the emerging
through a season of abnegation, 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 witt
The thrOngs surging through city
streets, in somber darkness go old and
young, high and low at midnight or
Easter. Yea, Christ is risen" thell
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 coffi1
through the streets to the mournfuI
music of the military bands and her
aided by a 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 q
lighted lantern borne aloft on a pole
comes, followed by the cruciix 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. kneel. They wait.
"Then comes the sound of shuffling
feet nearer and nearer" an eye wit
ness described 1t. suddenly the
doors are pounded from without rap
idly and incessantly-a profane sound
that startles the stiffness into awaken.
ing life. The kneeltng figures at the
altar listen. rise and hurry down the
aisle. The doors are flung open and a
long procession enters, each bearing q
lighted candle-followed by the choir
chanting the glad news. From the
tapers as 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
rs though by magic until the gloon
lightens &c a rosy glow, the glow TO q
sudden blaze of brilliance that CLEANS
on the jewel burdened ikons-on a sea
of faces"
Bells Ring in Easter.
In Moscow the bells of the Kremlln
rInp forth ddpD ar mfdniohf in