Show solemn scenes of easter week 1 at jerusalem the arab festival which comes during the Christ christian lin easter week Is known as musa arabic for or prophet moses it Is of comparatively recent origin and in reality Is a political rather than a religious festival started by the sultan saladin about the time of the crusades because he felt that too many christians were coming to jerusalem for or easter who might outnumber the moslems Alos lems ile he instituted tills this festival to coln coin elite cide with the orthodox easter which would bring a host of moslems into jerusalem the arabs pouring into le jerusalem tor for the nebi musa festival present a kaleidoscope of color that Is quite dazzling the bedouin women in their red and yellow coarsely embroidered finery are particularly striking the large body of arabs make their way around the outside of the city walls dancing and whining a weird chant accompanied by the beating of torn tom toms and clapping of hands in a measured beat their leader performing gyrations with it a huge curved sword the banners carried in the procession are blessed and brought front from mecca each year and they are blessed again by the mufti on the top of the mount of olives after which the parade moves on the flutes break into a melancholy wailing this time find and the dancing dervishes revolve and revolve I their skirts opening out like an 1 umbrella this performance takes place at frequent intervals and lasts about 2 20 0 minutes and the dancers look like spinning tops as they whirl around until some of them foam at the mouth the whole pilgrimage Is made on toot foot and lasts about three da days y s during which time they do not partake of food when jericho Is readied reached they place the blessed banners on the supposed grave of moses in spite of the fact act that the exact whereabouts of the burial place of moses Is distinctly disclaimed in the bible deul chap 31 34 v I 1 6 and he burled him in a valley in the land of moab over against both beth peor but no man of his sepulcher unto this day beginning easter week the first day of paschal Iu or easter buster week for the christian starts with palm sunday at cock crow all night long tile neary acary pilgrims have walked up and down the courtyard of tho ali church of the holy sepulcher and over the rough cobblestones of the narrow streets in jerusalem while the clanging of the great bell on the church continues anth daybreak but in the words of the psalmist weeping may endure for a night joy corneth in the morning when the sun comes canies up over the mountains the people weary and wo worn rn with diglis vigils and ta fa stings march slowly into the church and offer special prayers many are overcome with emotion and with hearts ready to break and with weeping eyes they sob out ive seen the holy of holles holies for they believe their own hands have touched the very place where for three days the lay in n ahe lie eel believed I 1 e V ed t he the earl christ st was seen een s to have risen old and young alike then take a squatting in the grass and the children with branches of olive trees and palms waving gently in rhythmic motion slug sing blessed la Is he that cometh in the name of the lord the cler clergy give the signal that the ceremony Is over and the people rise and slowly follow gently singing and chanting as they escort the priests in the descent from the mount they take the road which leads to the church of the holy sepulcher chor and when they reach there they find the sides of the quadrangle court before the place lined with venders benders and fakirs fakiri selling gelling sticky sweets all kindi of relies relics holy pictures brilliant colored glass glas bracelets mother of pearl crosses from bethlehem and other small ornaments made of olive wood from jerusalem symbolic picture during the night before the crowd begins to assemble a platform upon which are two benches Is placed in the courtyard on each bench Is a row of six cushioned seats on a dais gained by a step and carpeted in red and gold stands a gilt throne in front of which are placed a great ewer a gold tray and a very large white towel against the wall of the court near the platform there Is a night flight of wooden steps painted green which lead to a small pulpit in the center of the pulpit is a picture of jesus washing the feet of the 12 apostles uy by morning the echo ing with ceaselessly trum tramping ping feet and everyone and everything has the ap pear quee of the great festive occasion that is about to take place at nine oci deli comes a crash of bells and fairly blazing with jewels the greek patriarch emerges from the church attended by his bishops and priests the procession ascends the dais and in a loud voice a high official reads from the gospel of st john the account of jesus washing his disciples feet that night the way to the tha garden carden of gethsemane Is lighted with candles candies and the people pass along the different stages of the cross crosa until antu the garden Is reached |