Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1925-12-20
Bl GEORGE PORTER.

4
r. VERY wear about this time
cries are raised to the effect
that we are forgetting Christ
IL mas i primarily a religious
festival and are in danger of
coming to look upon il exclusively a.
Il commercial holiday. While there
may be some basis for little concern
on such a score, il is reasSurlng TO
survey the painstaking preparations
that have been made in religious CIR
CleS for the proper observance 81
Christiunity's greatest anniversary.
Song services have ever been among
the best liked forms of Christina
celebration. and special music VIII DC
u feature of the holiday Worship OF
practically every local religious InSt-
tuition. Sermons, too, are unusually
timely at this season, the messaE" Of
peace on earth, good Will toward
men furnishing d fay"rite theme %
infinite possibilities. Candle process
siuns and lighting effects in certain
churches have also proven both ina
prcSsive and popular ~ parts Of the
Christmas program.
Not only are the services widely dI-
verEent as to character, but they are
also distinct as to time. being spread
over practically the entire day. Start
ing with midnight masses and com
munions on Christmas eve for the
benefit of those who like to begin their
Christmas celebration with a thought
for the sacred element. continuing
with sermons and musical features
during the forenoon and afternoon of
the day. and winding up with chill
dren's pageants and entertainments AT
night. the religious element Will lie
constantly in the foreground.
OF the almost innumerable &C.
ClcsiaStiCal programs scheduled tor the
occasion in Washington, three stand
out as being nationally prominent,
both because of the notable Congrega-
lions which Will attend them and Tor
the reason that they are of first inn
portanCe in the clerical world They
are the midnight mass and celebration
at the Franc. scan Monastery, Brook
land, which realistically recalls the
events Of the birth of Christ: the
morning INSTRUMENTATION service
AT the First Congregational Church.
Tenth and G streets. which the PreSI-
dent and Mrs. Coolidge expect To at
tend. and the main Christmas service
to he held at the Bethlehem Chapel of
the Washington Cathedral on Mount
Saint Adams.
OF these. the mOnastic observance is
the most distinctive being, with one
exception. the only ceremony of its
kind in the world. The one exception
and the only counterpart of the Brook
land service is held at the same hour
in Bethlehem of Judea., on the actual
spot where the momentous event of
Christ'S nativity occurred nearly
1000 years ago.
The similarity of the two services
is further emphasized by their being
held in settings which are exactly the
same. At the local Franciscan
Monastery is Il grotto of Bethlehem, in
which is faithfully reproduced the de-
tails of the original shrine as it APP
pears today.
1t is there that earnest Catholics.
many of them holding high positions
in the life of the National Capital, to-
gether with an almost equal number
of non-CatholiCS, go each Christmas
eve to participate in the special mid
night mass and witness the portrayal
of the events of the first Christmas.
The services have been u yearly fea-
ture at the Mount st. Sepulchre insti-
tuition in Brookland for a quarter of a
century, having been introduced there
by the Very Rev. Father Godfrey
SChilling exactly 25 years ago this De-
cenfber.
In preparation for the Christmas
season the choir has been thoroughly
drilled in the ever-appealing carols.
the stately Gregorian chant and the
early folk songs of Christianity. The
always bright ornaments of the altar
have been polished to an incredible
degree of brilliance by the saCristan,
while holly, evergreens and appropri-
ate Yuletide blossoms have been used
to decorate the solemn church, giving
it an atmosphere of Christmas cheer
fulneSS.
The service begins at IL o'clock at
night. From the sacristy the brothers
march into the chapel. a cross bearer
heading the procession. The high
altar, suggestive of the papal altar in
st. Peters, Rome, is aglow with can
dies. Soft organ music seems to fill
the room and form a fitting prelude to
the impressive ceremony about to be-
gin.
At midnight, mathis having been
said, and Pope st. Leo's sermon on
the nativity recited, the bells ring out,
announcing the arrival of another
Christmas with it's welcome message
of peace and good will. Silence is re-
stored as mass proceeds, but when the
angels song, Gloria in Excelsis," is
reached the bells again add to the i'm
pressiveness of the service by pealing
forth in deep notes of joy the Christ
mas message which moves us all. At
the first words of the song a veil,
which has covered a surprisingly beau
tiful image of the Child of Bethlehem
that has been lying on the altar, is re-
moved. This image was carved of
wood at Barcelona, Spain, whence it
was taken to the Holy Land and
placed on the spot of the birth before
being brought to Brookland.
Singing of another composition, the
popular 20 Come All Ye
Faithful" constitutes another notable
feature of the mass. Next come the