Evening star., 1938-04-17

world has ever seen.
Visitors viewing the Washinsto,
Cathedral under construction are &C.
corded rare privilege. In general
type and proportions and in the sys-
tenn OF construction this edihce Is
more like . medieval cathedral than
any great church undertaken In this
country.
The Chapel Of the Resurrection, q
memorial to the second Bishop Of
Washington, the Right Rev. Alfred
Harding, D. D., Is OF Norman archi-
tectural design and Is notable for It's
massive simplicity.
The Chapel Of st. Joseph Of Ari.
mathea. in the crypt beneath the
crossing and between the four massive
piers which support the weight Of
the central tower. is one Of the most
| impressive and distinctive portions Of
the Cathedral The altar in this
chapel Is the gift OF Mrs. Christian.
In memory Of her husband, the late
George Christian.
Gen. Parshing once said: 1T seems
to me there is striking similarity
between Verdun as military strong
hold and the Cathedral at Washing
ton as religious stron2hold-Chris-
! tianity is on the defensive"
Easter services are held in the great
sanctuary and lofty choir Holy COM
munion is given in the Chapel Of the
Resurrection. Down the Gothic
stretches Of this Great Choir and
Sanctuary Of the Cathedral the mighty
organ peals joyously, while sweet.
voiced boy choristers sing alleluias,
carrying to each heart new messages
Of hope and love at Easter.
MANY pilgrims journey to ths
Franciscan Monastery in Brook
land to see the reproductions of some
Of the sacred places in Jerusalem and
Bethlehem.
Holy Week services at the Monastery
are among the most solemn in the
country. The funeral Of Christ was
re-enacted on Good Friday night.
Acolytes led the funeral procession,
after followed the priests, and then
the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre,
carrying the instruments OF our
Lords passion-the spear tipped
with sponge. the crown of thorns,
the nails. Four knights carried a
wax figure OF the Christus with the
fresh wounds showing. The body was
placed on the stone for amounting and =
then placed in the sepulchre.
At the Monastery the solemn high
mass this morning is colorful and i'm
pressive. Aglow with myriad candles.
the high altar is banked with ferns
and palms to form a rich background
for hundreds CT wtite-petaled Easter
lilies grown by the Franciscan friars
in their own conservatory under the
direction of Brother Meinrad For
more than 30 years Brother Meinrad
has been experimenting the gardens
at the Franciscan Monastery, and has
extended them until the whole land.
scape has been transformed into one
OF the show places Of Washington.
HE choristers of the Immaculate
Conception Church. under the di-
rection OF c. A. Benson, and with
Prof. Harry Wheaton Howard at tho
organ. play a prominent part in the
Holy Week and Easter Sunday services.
Teneorae service is chanted by The
Friars Of the Atonement and the ser.
mons are given by the Rev. Henri
Matte, o. M. l.. noted Canadian
preacher. The Three Hours Agony,
from noon to pm. on Good Friday.
was held in the Church of the I'm.
maculate Conception and the sermon
was by the Rev. Henri ]. Wiesel, S. J.
The real spirit of the siei1tseer is
shown in the crowds who stand for
hours outside the White House gates
to catch Glimpse of the President and
his family, or to file in rows through
the rooms open to the public. They
hurry through the halls of the Senate
and House Once Buildings to pay their
respects to their own Senators and
Representatives; they roam through
the corridors and the galleries OF the
United States Capitol or linger in the
Supreme Court Building.
The Folger Shakespearean Library.
the Library of Congress. our art gall
leries and museums all attract the
crowds
The influx into Washington Of Amer.
lcan club women and members of pa-
trlotlc societies and organizations Of
women, all dressed in Easter reealia.
adds interest to the Eastertide picture.
Although these women come to s4e
the sights. they are proba bly, more
concerned with the series of womenis
meetings which make the National
Capital the woman center OF the coun-
try every spring.
K REPRESENTATIVE Washington citi-
zens, official, diplomatic, society.
professional and business men and
women, Government clerks. young peo-
pie out Of school on a holiday all enter
into the spirit Of Eastertide. High hats
and cutaway coats usually reserved for
state occasions. weddings or funerals,
appear. The Easter luncheon has be.
come an important social institution
here. Many Of them are family re-
unions
Owners of boats which make an i'm
portant part Of the Potomac River life
OF Washington take them out. and
many cottages on the upper Potomac
River banks are visited for the first
time this season.
Washington has unique custom
which attracts people every year.
egg rolling on the White HOUSE
grounds. For more than so years they
have been thrown open to little chill.
dren on Easter Monday. It is an AZ.
fair unlike anything to be seen in
Europe, where Easter in the main Is
an occasion for adult observance.
1t was Mrs. Calvin Coolidge who
started the custom Of going down
among the children instead of spend
ing all OF the time Of the egg rolling
on the south portico Of the Executive
Mansion. She walked through tho
throng Of admiring youngsters ac-
companied BY her beautiful white COL
lies. Prudence Prim and Rob Roy.
Mrs. Roosevelt always goes among
the childrAn nuf ,,rn. ~s,.-