Evening star., 1933-03-01
BEGINNING Of LENT
PERIOD OBSERVED
BY CHURCH RITES
Ceremonies Marking Ash
Wednesday Held at Catholic
Houses of Worship.
BISHOP FREEMAN GIVES
SERMON AT CATHEDRAL
Federation's Daily Services Start.
Noon Meetings at Epiphany
Will Open Tomorrow.

Christianity entered It's TRADITIONAL
penitential period today to prepare for
the coming Of Easter. Symbolic OF the
mortality Of man, ashes are being
marked on the foreheads OF Catholics
in observance of this Ash Wednesday.
Other churches are witnessing varied
special religious services to tnaugurate
the six weeks Of Lent.
The use of ashes, however, remains
the ceremonial customary on the first
day of Lent. From early hours this
ing churches all over the city to kneel
at altar rails and receive the mark
Of humility. As the priest dips his
thumb into the blessed ashes OF palm
and marks each forehead with them,
he says, in Latin:
Remember, man, that thou art dust,
and unto dust thou shalt return"
Ceremony Explained.
Explaining this age-old ceremony Of
the church, Right Rev. John Francis
Noll has written in Catholic Facts:
"At the beginning Of Lent, the church
would humble our pride and remind us
of our mortality by this significant
ceremony. In the old law, ashes were
symbolic Of penance, and people COW
cred their heads with ashes when they
did penance and when they were in
grief or mourning"
Besides the morning masses and the
masses at the noon hour, ashes still are
to be given in most Catholic Churches
late this afternoon and tonight. ST.
Patrick's Church will distribute them
at o'clock this afternoon; st. Gabriels
Church will give them after the 4:30
n, ~, daypfjnnc ond oooip hn rpn.
clusion of the 7:30 pm. services to-
night. At the Franciscan Monastery
on Mount Saint Sepulchre, in Brook
land. priests are prepared throughout
today to administer ashes to the faith
full who call. Likewise at the Church
of the Immaculate Conception ashes
are to be given at Sis o'clock this
afternoon.
Right Rev. James E. Freeman, Bishop
of Washington, delivered the sermon
at the opening Lenten services in
Washington Cathedral at 1890 am.
Rev. G. C. F. Bratenahl, assisted by
the Cathedral clergy. conducted the
services. The Cathedral's observation
of the advent Of Lent will be continued
at 4 O'Clock this afternoon when Canon
G.. Freeland Peter will speak at the
evening prayer.
Sins Of Moderns Indicted.
Speaking from Washington Cathe-
dral over an international hook-up,
Bishop Freeman indicted the sins Of
modern society and called the people
hack to Christian faith and practice.
Sin" he declared, sis an unpopular
subject. We are irritated by any refer
ence to our derelictions. We do not
wish to be reminded that whatsoever
a man sows he also shall reap. Our
literature and drama are permeated
with viciousness, and respectability Is
used as cloak for every wickedness.
Our youth IS being reared In an atmos-
phere which is contaminated. In their
supine indifference multitudes imagine
that all that Is necessary to solve our
problems is some cleverly devised eco
nomic scheme.
But We cannot be unconscious Of
our impaired morale. We must realize
that what We do in the days which lie
Immediately ahead may affect the des-
tiny OF nations and races. We must
be aware that the only path to peace
Is that of Christ.
I'VE must cast of Self-confidence,
indulged, like the prodigal son of the
parable, in far country living It
must turn back to the Fathers house.
Like the prodigal, we must repent, we
must go back to our Father"
Daily Services at Epiphany.
The Washington Federation of
Churches began its daily services at
1:30 o'clock this afternoon at the
Church of the Epiphany. Eight promi-
nent clergymen are participating in
the services which were to continue
until $50 O'Clock. These are Bishop
Freeman, DR.. A. j. Mccartney, DR.. II.
w. Burgan, DR.. S. B. Daughtery, Rev.
H. p Schearer, DR.. E. C. Hawthorne,
Rev. E. O. Clark and Rev. c. H. Hope.
Rev. Ze Barney Phillips, rector of
Epiphany, Is officiating. This service
will be continued each Wednesday of
Lent.
The regular noon Lenten services
which ere conducted daily at the
Church of Epiphany will begin tomor-
row when Rev. w. B. Donegan of Balti-
more will speak. The church itself
launched its own Lenten devotionS at
1890 O'Clock this morning when the
holy communion service was held.
The Cathedrals program Of Lenten
services will embrace daily-excepting
Saturday, Sunday and Monday-ad-
dresses III lie great ClOlr, lncIuQlQS
Canon Albert H. Lucas, Thursday after
moons; Canon Raymond L. Woven,
Friday afternoons, and Right Rev. Philip
M. Rhinelander, Tuesday afternoons.
Representative clergymen from the
Washington diocese will be heard We'd
nesday afternoons.
The Universalist National Memorial
Church will begin its Lenten services at
5 o'clock this afternoon. Organ recitals
will be given each Wednesday through
out Lent.
Masses will be said daily during Lent
at St. Patrick's Catholic Church at noon.
Likewise, q special Lenten mass will be
said at the Church of the Immaculate
Conception at 1915 pm. each day.
Following this mass, Rev. D. j. Con-
nors, Oblate missionary, will preach q
5-minute sermon.