Tent Work in Palestine: A Record of Discovery and AdventureConder, C. R. (Claude Reignier)
History
Tent Work in Palestine: A Record of Discovery and Adventure
Conder, C. R. (Claude Reignier)
Palestine -- Description and travel
The change from the stagnation of the motionless crowd to the wild storm
now raging was as marvellous as it was sudden. The flame spread, seeming
to roll over the whole crowd, till the church was a sea of fire, which
extended over the roof of the chapel, and ran up the galleries and along
the choir. Meantime a dreadful bell was clanging away, and the
grey-bearded Patriarch was borne out aloft into the chancel, on the
shoulders of a body-guard of priests. A dense blue fog, made by the
smoke, and a smell of burning wax rose up, and above all the quiet gleam
of light shone down from the roof.
The fury of the crowd seemed to increase. A stalwart negro, struggling
and charging like a mad bull, ran round the church, followed by the
writhing arms; then, as all got their candles lighted, men might be seen
bathing in the flame, and singeing their clothes in it, or dropping wax
over themselves as a memorial, or even eating it. The dancing is not
allowed now; but here and there knots were formed, of men who jumped and
hopped, rolling along the centre and out of the church. The whip came
down on crowd and soldiers alike, until the lane had been re-formed; and
at last the excitement abated, as the gorgeous second procession came
forth in an endless string.
This procession is the grandest to be seen in Jerusalem, but only a few
of the Greeks assist at it.
First came a priest in yellow, with a crown and great jewelled cross,
flanked by others in pink satin, with censers; four banners followed,
and six priests in embroidered cloth of gold; next came twenty Armenians
in cloth of silver; next, two censer-bearers with red-and-gold crowns,
and four priests in cloth of gold, with candles; then came the Armenian
bishop, in a large cope lined with rose satin, with a white beard and a
gigantic mitre of gold, having a central medallion of enamel; on each
side of him was a priest in a black cap, holding his robe. Next came the
Copts, with six banners, a cross, and two books in silver covers; the
priests in cloth of gold, with crowns of red-velvet and gold; then six
monks in the same, with white hoods; two censer-bearers with yellow
tippets, and crowns; followed by the Coptic bishop, in cloth of silver
lined with crimson, and with a great silver crown; two acolytes and a
banner-bearer in silver and white went before him. A cross, four
banners, and two censers were borne next; then came four priests in
silver embroidered with blue, bearing books in rich silver covers; then
the Syrian bishop, in plain cloth-of-gold, with a hood of the same; and
behind him a banner, borne by a priest in pink and silver robes
embroidered with flowers.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account