The Ceremonies of the Holy Week at Rome by Charles Michael Baggs

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[Footnote 139: For the ceremonies of Easter-sunday see The Pontifical
Mass sung at S. Peter's on Easter-sunday etc. By C.M. Baggs. D.D. Rome
1840.]

APPENDIX

PECULIAR CEREMONIES OF HOLY-WEEK AT JERUSALEM

Having spoken of the blessing of the paschal candle at Rome, we may
for a few moments turn our thoughts towards a city still more ancient,
and trodden by holier and more exalted beings than even the apostles
and martyrs of the eternal city. The justly-celebrated traveller John
Thevenot in his Voyage du Levant describes the ceremonies of holyweek
performed at Jerusalem; the distribution of palms, the washing of the
feet on Maunday-Thursday at the door of the holy Sepulchre; and the
procession to the holy places or stations performed by the Catholic
Christians. Concerning this the eloquent Pere Abbe de Geramb, in his
interesting Pelerinage at Jerusalem in 1832, informs us that "by means
of a figure in relief of the natural size, whose head, arms, and feet
are flexible, the religious represent the crucifixion, the descent
from the cross, and the burial of Jesus Christ, in such manner as
to render all the principal circumstances apparent to the senses and
striking".

Both these distinguished writers of different periods agree in
testifying, that all the devotions of the Catholics were and are still
conducted with so much order that they are admired both by Christians
and Turks, whereas those of the schismatical Christians took place
with much confusion, and with such a noise, that the Janissaries, who
had to preserve order, were obliged to strike the persons engaged in
them as well as the spectators. This statement is confirmed by the
account, which they and other travellers give, of the _holy fire_
of the Greeks and other schismatics. Benedict XIV observes that no
mention is made of the supposed miracle of the holy fire by early
Christian writers who lived at Jerusalem; as Eusebius, S. Jerome, S.
Epiphanius, or S. Cyril bishop of Jerusalem. It is however spoken of
by Bernard a Frank monk of the ninth century, and in a Pontifical
of the church of Poictiers of about the tenth century: by Hugo
Flaviniacensis in Chronico Virdunensi, in the discourse of Urban II
in the council of Claremont, and in other documents of the middle
ages mentioned by Martene (lib. IV, c. XXIV). Lupi (tom. 4, Conc. gen.
etc.) thinks it probable, that the custom of burning lights and the
paschal candle on this day was instituted, in order to return thanks
to God for a miracle (which _may_ of old have happened at Jerusalem)
and to announce it to all nations.

I shall now extract a brief account of the scene of confusion enacted
in modern times at Jerusalem on such occasions from Thevenot, in whose
work is a print representing it. "After our Catholic office was ended"
says he, "we prepared to enjoy the sight of the holy fire of the
Greeks, Armenians and Copts, whose priests make their people believe,
that on holy Saturday fire descends from heaven into the holy
Sepulchre, and on that account make each of their pilgrims, who are
very numerous, pay some money. This solemnity appears rather a comedy
or a farce than a church-ceremony, and is very unbecoming in a place
so sacred as the holy Sepulchre. After we had finished our service,
which was about eight in the morning, they, extinguished all their
lamps and those of the holy Sepulchre, and then they commenced their
folly, running round the holy Sepulchre, like mad people, crying,
howling, _et faisans un bruit de diables_; it was charming to see
them running one after another, kicking and striking one another with
cords; many of them together held men in their arms, and going round
the holy Sepulchre, let them fall, and then raised horrible shouts
of laughter, while they who had fallen ran after the others to avenge
themselves: it seemed that both old and young were downright mad. From
time to time they raised their eyes, and stretched their hands, full
of taper, to heaven, crying all together _eleison_, as if they were
wearied at the delay of the holy fire. This scene continued till
towards three in the evening, when two Greek archbishops and two
bishops habited as patriarchs, for the patriarch was not then at
Jerusalem, left their choir with all their clergy, and began
the procession round the holy Sepulchre: they were joined by the
Armenians, four of whom wore mitres: then came a Coptic bishop, with
all his clergy and people. After they had walked three times round the
holy Sepulchre, a Greek priest came out of the chapel of the Angel,
which is close to that of the holy Sepulchre, and gave notice to him
who represented the Patriarch, that the holy fire had descended from
heaven: the latter then entered into the holy Sepulchre, followed
by the representatives of the Armenian patriarch and of the Coptic
bishop. After they had remained there a short time, we saw the Greek
archbishop in an amusing posture, bending down his head, and bearing
in each hand a quantity of lighted tapers. No sooner had he appeared,
than all rushed one upon another to light their tapers from those of
the archbishop; as that is considered the best fire, which is first
lighted. The Janissaries however, who were stationed near the door
of the chapel of the Angel, did not stand with their arms folded, but
made the calpacs and turbans of the Greeks fly from one end of the
church to the other, striking around on all sides with their sticks,
to make way for the poor archbishop, who also as we may suppose
did all in his power to save himself. He then mounted in haste a
stone-altar opposite the entrance of the holy Sepulchre, where he was
immediately surrounded by the people: those also who had lighted their
tapers endeavouring to save themselves were overwhelmed by the others:
the confusion was horrible, and blows were not unfrequent. After the
Greek archbishop has come out, the Armenian appears, and saves himself
from the crowd in the church of the Armenians, and the Copt in that
of the Copts. Every one was in such a hurry to get some of the holy
fire, that in a moment more than 2000 bundles of candles flamed in
the church: and the people, crying out like persons possessed began
greater follies than before. A man carrying a drum on his back began
to run with all his might round the holy Sepulchre, and another
running in the same manner struck it with two sticks; and when he
was tired, another immediately took his place. "_Il semble qu'
on soit dans un enfer, et que ce soient tout autant de diables
dechaines_."--But enough of this unedifying scene, of which the Abbe
Geramb gives a similar account. If we contrast with it the majestic
and edifying ceremonies of the Roman church, we shall feel grateful
to God for having preserved us from such disorders. I shall merely add
from Thevenot, that the Christians are called to office at the holy
Sepulchre by boards struck with iron, as we are for two days in
holy-week: but drums and other instruments are also played there,
which make, he (adds), "une musique enragee".

The distinguished missionary and pilgrim D. Casto Gonzalez recounts
other disorders of the Greeks during Holy Week, and profanations of
the most holy sanctuaries of Palestine. In the year 1833 he exposed,
but not without great risk, the fraud of the "holy fire". On the
holy-Saturday of the Greeks the officiating Bishop accompanied by an
Armenian and a Coptic Bishop and their respective clergy had already
walked thrice round the holy Sepulchre, when the missionary ignited a
match with phosphorus, and holding it up exclaimed "Look, the heavenly
fire has fallen into my hands": he then extinguished it and lighted
it again several times to the great astonishment of the assembled
multitude. He was protected by the Turks from the dangers which
surrounded him. So manifest was the fraud of the pretended "holy fire"
that even the schismatical Armenian patriarch issued a circular letter
forbidding his spiritual subjects to be present at the disgraceful
exhibition.

The Pere Abbe de Geramb gives a glowing account of the Catholic
service and mass on holy saturday; and we most warmly recommend to our
readers the perusal of the 34th _Lettre_ of his _Pelerinage_, in which
he describes all the ceremonies of holy week at Jerusalem, where they
are invested with the peculiar charm arising from spots so sacred,
where Christ suffered, and died, and rose again. Though in other
respects the Roman ceremonies are of a more exalted nature, yet here
must we be contented to transport ourselves in imagination to those
beloved sanctuaries, and to see the _representation_ of the holy
Sepulchre at S. Maria Egiziaca. We shall conclude with the words of
the distinguished writer: "Jamais douleur n'affecta plus vivement mon
ame, que celle qui s'en empara au moment ou je m'arrachai pour jamais
de l'eglise du saint Sepulcre. Taut que je vivrai elle sera aussi
presente a mon esprit que profondement gravee dans mon coeur; toujours
souvenir me fera tressaillir, parce que toujours, et plus qu' aucun
autre souvenir, il me rappellera Jesus, crucifie pour mon salut, pour
la salut du genre humain, a l'amour duquel nous devons repondre par le
plus vif, le plus tendre, le plus absolu de tous les amours; ce Jesus
auquel je dois l'ineffable bonheur de comprendre, de sentir cette
grande verite, que je voudrais faire comprendre et sentir a l'univers
entier, que lui seul est tout, que tout ce qui n'est pas lui, n'est
rien, n'est que neant". Pelerinage a Jerusalem, Lett. 36.

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