Evening star., 1928-04-07

What varying interpretations differ
ent people give to Easter! There are
scores. II not hundreds, Of young ladies'
in Washington who celebrated the 'eno
of Lent" which. TO them arrived at l
o'clock today and brought them liberty
to eat candy again; they had foresworn
it during the sacred season. Frivolous!
Not TO them.
In Mexico land possibly in other
Latin countrieS) all bells OF the churcneS
lose their power to ring" from the hour
supposed to mark the cructhxion OF
Christ up to the internal burning OF
Judas on Saturday afternoon, wnere-
upon not only the church bells, but the
''matracas," or rattles, break forth IN a
general clatter.
II NAV well be admitted that, to the
inteIligentsia, the bells do not actually
lose any power at any time. but to the
ignorant masses the metal becomes
dumb.
Not alone in Ober- -Ammergau Is the
Passion Play given, but in Mexico the
uneducated natives at Coyoacan, sub
urb of the capital. give II annually.
With crude but sincere mummery. Some
time ago. the writer witnessed 1t there,
from before dawn to late at night.
All through the night after Good FIJI
day. angels" in mourning black. kneit
beside a grave worked in colored sand,
upon the church floor: others stood
guard over a barred window. behind
which Judas languished. In due time,
the effigy of Christ was brought out and
spiked to a 10-foot cross. which was
then lifted into a socket in the floor
The people knelt and wept, while the
priest told the story Of the great sacrinee
for their sins.
The day wore on, while the details
of that tragedy were re-enacted- JUDAS
suddenly broke through the assembly OF
5000 and hanged himself (by a hooked
belt) upon tree in the churchyard.
The ceremony continued, with q pro-
cession bearing the body OF the dead
Christ around the churchyard. for II
Is contrary to Mexican law for church
professions to invade the public streets
though the law did not then affect
the jollifications in the City Of Mexico
on Saturday over the burning In He'll
of Judas.
AS night came on, the descent from
the cross followed. while the priest
again preached the story and its les
son. Beside the writer was the young
child of q missionary. familiar with the
language, and to him native turned
with great impreSSiveneSS and whisper
ed, 1T is Christ-the true Christi and
continued TO repeat his prayers. There
was to him no mere symbolism; 1t was
reality.
How solemn was the burial process
sion. later in the evening. when the
marchers hore the efflgy OF the dead
Christ around the interior OF the great
church, followed by many worShipers
with lighted candleS-the only light IL
the churchl Black shadows crept after
them as they circled around the huge
pillars, and the intense blackneSs OF
the elongated streaks Of shadow across
the floor gave q ghostlike setting to
the ceremony.
An uncanny shock came to the be-
holder when at last he emerged from
that impressive scene into the street
and found himself at once in the midst
of traffic and frivolity OF the multitude.
That Passion Play was far more than q
theatrical festiyity: for the thousands
who witnessed 1t were wrought up by
It's rough realism. and were carried out
OF themselves by the ceremony whlea
lost all minicry In Its actually.
The next day, in Mexico City, weird
travestieS upon the historic Tragedy
were enacted The streets were 1ammed
with crowds following scores OF papier
mache effgies of Judas and the devil.
Other effigies Of the same hated char
acters swung high from ropes stretched
across streets. The figures were hor-
rihly groteSQue. larger than life Size,
and were hooted In proportion to their
hideousneSs
At the hour when Judas was sup
posed 10 pass out OF purgatory INTO
hell-tire, crowds gathered beneath their
favorite or most horrible eftigieS, the
ropes were slaekened so that the figures
could be lowered within reach OF some
one on the ground. who with ughted
match set fire to fuses which veined the
papier mache, and then the burning or
exploding Judas was teered by the be-
holders, while souvenirs fell from his
arms or legs. clothing, toys, food, etc,
for which the people scrambled.
immediately the bells regained their
"pawer 10 ring" and throughout the
city they burst forth In paeans,
Was 1t crude? A traveSty ON religtnne
Not Spirituale The writer passes no
Judgment, he Is not an adherent OF the
Mexican Aztec Church, whose ceremony
he watched with interest In company
with 5000 at Coyuacan and 100000 in
Mexico CITY The paint here Is the dtf~
ferenees between regions, where enc
practices SYMBOLISM ard b sometimes
carried beyond symbolic ceremony into
acceptance OF realism. or as In "edu~
Gated communities, where in some
churches all symbolism has been bred
out OF practices and ohservaneeS,
- ~
No writer has ever given his readers
q more vivid short story ef Easter than
average aye Of women becoming
naafhArs FOR the first finaa is hAfxps.Ars