Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 79, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 April 1915 — Gaster week in Jerusalem [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Gaster week in Jerusalem

oa S WE crossed Palestine, riding over fril those ancient byways that wind through hill and dale leading to the /jOwM holy city, we were deeply impressed Jlnlijm. by the pilgrims —not only by their ■ttH™ numbers but by their very air of patient eagerness—as they trudged ufiH the dusty roads footsore and weary. Jjjr As we neared the city we knew that Sfifirft Jerusalem was already filled to overjrfiyjf flowing with these pilgrims, because StyM the roads leading into the city were (H lined on either side with crowds of 'l these pilgrims camping in the ditches, 1 with their pots and pans and bedding. Although it was midday when we arrived and the sun beat down mercilessly, many of these tired pilgrims had spread a small scarf or shawl across sticks and were sleeping in its shade. Still they continued to flock into the city, carrying palm branched in their hands, until all the highways round about Jerusalem were lined with these weary but devout people. One could not help 1 pitying them, while at the same time admiring their wonderful 'devotion. Thousands of them had walked hundreds of miles through Russia and across inhospitable Turkey, being treated in the latter place more like dogs than human beings. If there is one thing above another a Turk hates, something that arouses his Mohammedan indignation, it is the sight of theSe Christians, devout members of the Greek church, plodding afoot across the sultan’s domain with but one thought in view —to kiss the tomb of Christ. You can only marvel at their religious seal which enables them to withstand the tortures of a long journey and the abuse of the cold-blooded Turks. Fortunately, our quarters had been reserved long in advance, otherwise w®. t°°, "would have been forced to camp among the pilgrims beside the highway. As these pilgrims come in sight of the Holy Land they fall upon their knees, facing the Jerusalem they love, so simple and beautiful Is their faith. ‘ Jerusalem’s places of interest during the Easter week are many. They are made memorable through their association with Christ on and prior to the day of his crucifixion. We first visited the Garden of Gethsemane, where, So many years ago, he went to pray, “Ndt my will, but thine.” This is really a very* small plot of ground, about twenty-five feet Bquare, containing many flower beds and. some extremely old olive trees. Always kept in good order, on the occasion of Easter this hallowed garden is made glorious with beds of flowers in full bloom. There is also the. Via Dolorosa, or “the street of sorrows,” through which Christ passed on his way to Calvary. Along this street are the various stations of the cross, recording the incidents in this memorable Journey. / _ Then there is the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, where the elaborate Easter ceremonies are held. This church is in reality a massive building containing vast congeries of churches, ohnpai« and shrines in which the various sects worship. There are within these walls thirtyseven so-called “holy places," although it must be said that there is a grave question as to {she authenticity of many of these. As we approached the outer gates of this church we were annoyed by the painfully incongruous note which was struck by the deafening medley caused by the yelling and screaming of dealers In “articles de piete,” or, in other words, “holy relics." All sorts of venders were shouting at the tops of their voices and eagerly choking at all owners in their frantic endeafors to make a sale— representative descendants, h»deed, of they who once made the tempi* a house of merchandise. “

Knowing that during the days of the actual Easter celebration we would have little opportunity to see these things, owing to the great crowds, we took occasion to visit them the day following our arrival. Among the principal places of interest in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher are the supposed tomb of Christ, the stone of unction, the hOly sepulcher, the Greek church, the chapel of St. Helena and Mount Calyary. The first of the Easter services in the holy city consists of the “washing of feet.” This .occurs on the Thursday before Good Friday. It is a Greek ceremony, short and unexciting, apd takes place 1 k the courtyard of the church. Notwithstanding that it is unexciting, every available space in the courtyard and every commandlpg window find rooftop was occupied as the Greek patriarch bathed the feet of twelve of his priests as they were seated upon a little platform. On the next day^—Good Friday—we witnessed the Latin ceremony of the crucifixion. IThis is interesting in a way, but somewhat shocking to the occidental idea. This ceremony takes place over what is said to be the actual site of tho crucifixion. It is performed before a cross on which a durtimy figure has been nailed. At the conclusion the figure is taken down from the Cross and placed iu a white sheet, the crown of thorns and the nails drawn from the “hands” and “feet” being placed on silver salvers. After this a procession is .formed which leads to the* stone of unction, where sermons are delivered in six different languages. Saturday afternoon we witnessed the ceremony of the "holy fire,” to the minds of the pilgrims the most important of all. There is a certain impressiveness about it, but the grandeur is lbst in the mad struggle between the Latin and Greek worshipers that changes what should be a solemn ceremony into a veritable mob scene. At the time we were there much talk was heard of either abandoning this ceremony or greatly modifying it, and I must confess that all of" our party agreed that pnless it could be conducted in an orderly manner it should certainly be abandoned. ' There is an old tradition in Jerusalem that long after Christ had arisen and departed from the holy sepulcher holy fire from heaven was seen to descend into the sepulcher. Time has deprived thi# tradition of the greater part of its weight, but Jt must be admitted that many of the poor faithful but Ignorant pilgrims still be-

lieve the flames they witness to be literally holy fire. We secured a good vantage point from one of the upper balconies, and by two o’clock the church was filled to overflowing with a zealous yet excitable mob. The Greek patriarch, accompanied by the Armenian high priest, entered the holy sepulcher, and instantly there a hush throughout all the church. On either side of the sepulcher are holes, and soon flames appea re d through these holes. Instanttythe struggle commenced. To us it was h terrible sight to see the pilgrims fight to get near the holy flame. Each pilgrim held a candle, and

bis heart’s desire was to light this candle by the holy fire. Within ten minutes the thousands struggling around, the holy sepulcher incloeure had lighted their candles, and the church was a mass of tiny lights from each of these candles. We were told that much better order had been maintained on this Easter during the holy fire ceremony than ever before, and we could but wonder what some of the past ceremonies were like, since five persons were removed on stretchers while we looked on, living been severely injured by being pushed down and trampled on by the struggling mob. It was interesting but by no means comforting to note the hatred exhibited on every hand by the Turks. :> We watched the line forming for a procession where the Turkish soldiers were drawn up as a guard, much as city policemen keep back the crowds during a parade In this country. Whenever a Turk got In the crowd he was well handled and assisted to a vantage point if he cared to see, although for the most part the Turks would not deign to look upon it. Whenever one of the Christians was pushed by the crowd Into the line of Turkish soldiers he was promptly and effectively pounded with the butt of a rifle. Not openly, but rather surreptitiously, the soldier stared Straight front at the same time he maliciously and viciously jabbed backward with rifle butt, generally grievously hurting whoever was unfortunate enough among the pilgrims to be crowded against the lines. Above all it was the Armenians who were thus abused. On Sunday morning there were more ceremonies in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. These ceremonies were conducted in many languages, and the vestments worn by the priest* were unusually gorgeous. - ± - At noon on Sunday the Easter week ceremonies were over for the year. An .hour later the great army of pilgrims was flocking out of the city. Ip all directions they' were traveling with their few belongings in bundles, but by far the greater number-journeyed out on the highways that led across the Holy Land and into Russia. By night not a pilgrim remained, while all along the roads round about the holy city were left the litter and the *»hes of the campfires where so many thousands had encamped during the week. The next day Jerusalem became the same quiet, sleepy city that it was when the man of sorrows rode into it and mm- taken to tore Pilate.