HOLY WEEK IN JERUSALEM.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XII, Issue 181, 2 August 1877, Page 4

HOLY WEEK IN JERUSALEM.

(From the Boston Advet User.) .In the open equare b.fore the doors of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre a vast eager throng had assembled at an early hour to witness the ceremony of the "Washing of the Feet." On a high platform in the midst s t the Greek patriarch and the fathers of the church, who were to represent the twelve apostles. All were dressed in rich robes embroidered with gold. The patriarch who personated our Saviour arose, followed by ><t. John; hi 3 stole was removed, a towel placed over his arm, aud his heavy mitre lifted from his forehead from time to time. Slowly he advanced to kneel before each apostle, and bathe bis feet in water carried in a golden vessel. Peter sat at the end of tbe line, aud standing, as his turn came rouod, refused the honor, a dialogue ensued, aud then he submitted. Returning to his seat, the patriarch read what we presumed were portions of Scripture, while the disciples responded. Judas sat apart from the others and looked the traitor. While the ceremooy was going 00, a priest read the Bible, Ut. John, chapter XIII, from a pulpit fastened to the stone wall. Above him hung a brauch of the sacred olive, whether taken Irom those noble trees in Geihssmane or not I did not learn. - 6 The preacher descended at the close of the services, and (hen ths crowd swayed towards the wall, where men began lo tear off sprigs from the branoh flinging them

down to ths excited multitude, who {

almost tore one ao other to pieces in tbeir haste to grasp the leaves, which are said to possess miraculous power to 1 heal the sick. Solemn procession, during which short sermons are delivered at seven different stations in Italiau, Greek,! English, German, French, Arabic, and' Spanish. This ia the announcement for the ceremony of the Crucifixion, which took place at 7 p.m. on Good Friday. The holy sepulchre, which stands al-: moat in the centre of the ohuroh,i flashed upon our sight like a huge! casket set with jewels, as we entered; from the dark streets. It seemed ablaze; with silver lamps ahd colored lanterns, 1 giving an almost painful clearness to* the intense action of the motley throng; beneath. Passing up the crowded staircase, we reached the Golgotha Gbapel; this, too, was brilliantly lighted with colored lamps, the wall hung with pic-, tares of Christ's sufferings. A procession of priests and monks carrying tapers solemnly parted the eager crowd: as they solemnly. bore aloft a small cross! on which was fastened a waxen figure ! of our Saviour wearing the crown of thorns. The Greek patriarch seated himself iv a gilded chair at the head of I the cross, which was placed before ah altar over the spot where Christ is : thought to have been crucified, ahd here a short sermon was preached in German. After this the procession trailed on to the chapel of the Elevation of the Cross, whioh belongs to the Greeks. Here, before the hole voder the altar the cross was raised, near the rent in the rock eaid to be caused by the earthquake, and the two holes in which etood the crosses of the thieves. After another sermon in French, a priest approached the cross, removed the crown of thorns, unfastened several naila to Ist the arms fall, and the figure draped in white was carried Irom. the crbss down the staircase, amid a surgiug crowd, and laid on the "stone of unotion." A marble slab was before the door of the church, which merely covers " the true stone" upon which Christ is said to have been anointed.