THREE SUNDAYS IN EACH WEEK.

Hokitika Guardian, 22 June 1925, Page 1

THREE SUNDAYS IN EACH WEEK.

(Bv E. W Olson Newman in “Daily

.Mail.) JERUSALEM. By visiting Jerusalem to attend the opening of the only Hebrew university in the world. Lord Balfour comes to a city unlike any other in existence. What other city is the proud posses-

sor of two Christmaso-., two Easters, four New Years, and three Sundays it the week, all equally re- ngni.-cd Although ( hri.stians claim Jerusalem ,:s tfudr ‘ Holy City.” they arc only a part of the vast multitude which regards it as a sacred place. It is lady three times over. It is just as sacred to the Jews. «ho (lock to its .synagogues and “wail” at its ‘-wailing Wall.' 1 U means just a.s much to the Moslems, who worship in the Mosque of Omar and venerate the Temple A rca.

As there are three distinct faiths in Jerusalem, there are also throe Sundays in the week. There is the Christian Sunday, when all Christian shops are shut and ail other shops tire open. Saturday is the Jewish Sabbath, when all Jewish places of business elc.se their doe: Friday is tin* Modem day of I rayor. when idle faithful go to service m tlie mosque and little work is done. While this .system of Sunday in shifts is convenient lor the forgetful housewife, it causes many < oinplh. at ions in •■viTvdav life.

In Government offices, where ofli< -inis <ii' all throe faiths are employed, the departments are short-handed lor three whole days in the week. The entire organisation is crippled Iroin Thursday evening till Monday moraine. If yon want to interview any particular official. you must first discover his religion. You then work out when lie will he in his office. The High Commissioner, Being a .Tew. never works on Saturday; lie is. however. at work attain on Sunday. Ihe Chief Secretary, a Christian, is in his office eii Saturday, hut not on Sunday, t on~or|neatly there are only four days on vh>h all three tan meet to discuss anything. .'Jerusalem has two 'Rasters, separated hv thirteen days. The second is lliat of tlie Creek Orthodox Church and is famous for the ceremony of the Of fo)y Fire.’' Cn the .-nine way there are always two Christmases, also separated !iv thirteen days, But when it: comes to New Tear’s Days, the number is increased to four. Alter January 1 rallies the Greek' Now Year. Then there is Milliardm. the first, day of the Moslem year. which gradually travels through the seasons. Sometimes it occurs in winter and other times in mill-summer. The Tee year, on the other hand, usually liegins in September, hut has no fixed dale in our calendar. All this causes many pitfalls. Til Jerusalem a man’s religion is of more consequence than his nationality.