Evening star., 1941-04-06
Holy Week Rites
Begin in Churches
0fCapita| Today
Chief Of Army ChopIoins
Arronees Observonces
For Soldiers


day, to derive from the ceremonies
of holy week a new inspiration
to sustain America during coming
critical months.
While many Washington churches
scheduled special early morning
services today, added new voices to
their choirs, prepared religious mo-
ton pictures and radio broadcasts
and arranged for sessions of PRAYER
throughout the week, the chief of
Army chaplains, Col William r.
Arnold, made plans for soldiers.
He proclaimed that all men so
desiring may be excused from mill
tary GutieS to attend Good Friday
services either on an Army post or
In adjacent communities.
Excused for Three Hours.
Troops will be excused in time
to be at services from noon until
3 pm. Col. Arnold added, in in
structions to all chaplains of the
service:
Not only at Easter time. but
daily 1t is your responsibility and
task to open the scriptures to the
minds of men for their understand
ing until their hearts burn within
them. These are dark and fear
some days, and men are yearning
to hear the voice of God and to feel
the strength and comfort of His
power"
To assure civilian observance of
Good Friday, a local organization
OF business. patriotic and religious
leaders has been formed here. with
Bishop James E. Freeman of the
Episcopal Diocese of Washington
and the Most Rev Michael j. Cur
ley, Catholic Archbishop of Balti-
moro and Washington. as honorary
chairmen.
Business Asked to Close.
Under their leadership nearly so
civic groups have asked business
firms to close for the three hours
of agony" beginning at noon on
Friday, permitting employees TO at
tend services. The Rev. Joseph z.
Gedra, assistant pastor of the
Church of the Immaculate Concep-
ton, is general secretary, and lay
chairman is Col Thomas r. Carlin,
past state deputy of the knights
of Columbus.
A climax of Holy Week observance
Will be the Easter sunrise memorial
service in the amphitheater at Ar
ungton National Cemetery under
auspices Of the Knights Templar
Services will begin at 7:30 am. with
music by the Marine Band.
Senate Chaplain Ze Barney T
Phillips and House Chaplain James
Shera Montgomery will take part
and the sermon will be delivered
by the Rev Adna Wright Leonard
bishop OF the Washington area of
the Methodist Church. At the con-
cluslon, a cross of lilies five feet in
height will be placed at the Tomb
Of the Unknown Soldier.
X. of c. Radio Program.
Radio Station WNfAL will pre-
sent dramatizations of events of
the first Holy Week beginning Tues
day and continuing through Satur-
day, under auspices of the knights
OF Columbus. The 15-minute pro-
grams will place radio reporter on
a rowing assignment in ancient Je-
rusalem. He will describe the scenes
and his microphone will pick up
conversations of Biblical characters.
Beginning today, the First Con-
grcgational Church will show the
Cecil B. DeMille motion picture,
king of Kings" The film will be
seen today at 3, $50 and pm.
Many Washington churches will
double their ceremonies today. with
pastors preaching two identical
sermons. At New York Avenue Pres
byterian Church, for instance. Dr..
Peter Marshall will preach at 83O
and IL am. on The Challenge
of the King"
Services at Foundry.
DR.. Frederick Brown Harris will
speak at GAS and II am. at Foun-
dry Methodist Church on Christ
Comes Into the Capital" At and
II am. Luther Place Memorial
Church will hear DR.. Charles B.
Foelsch on The Cross Was His
Own" The First Baptist Church
will hear DR.. Edward Hughes Pru-
den at 9:45 and II am. on Worthy
to Receive Honor and Blessing"
Augmenting his regular choir of
IL male singers. DR.. Nation Boyce,
director at St. Matthews Cathedral,
has engaged as many additional
singers for rites at $3.50 pm. They
will sing Dvorak's 'Stabat Mater"
written for Psalm Sunday.
Catholic University will begin its
week of worship with solemn high
mass at II am. today in the Shrine
of the Immaculate Conception.