OBSERVANCE OF EASTER

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28258, 22 April 1957, Page 9

OBSERVANCE OF EASTER

Ceremonies At Jerusalem (N.Z. Press Association Copyright) JERUSALEM, April 20. Brazilians of the United Nations Emergency Force helped to carry the heavy cross in Good Friday ceremonies attended by nearly 5000 pilgrims at Jerusalem. In spite of the recent events in Jordan and the Middle East crisis generally, there were more than twice the usual number of tourists. Only about 2000 foreigners came last year and hardly any in 1955. Old Jerusalem’s medieval lanes were thronged by people shepherded by Jordan tourist police in spiked helmets. This year the Western and Eastern churches, which use different religious calendars, are in rare agreement over the date of Easter. Each sect formed its own procession behind its own cross, but all mingled at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. The Moslems had business as usual, except for the observance of daylight fasting for Ramadan. The Latin chanting of Franciscan friars, who knelt at every station of the Cross, mingled with Arabic singing from shop radios. More than 100 officers and men, representing all the U.N.E.F.’s national contingents except the Jugoslavs, visited Jerusalem’s holy places and retraced the footsteps of Christ’s walk to the scene of the Crucifixion.