HOLY WEEK AND EASTEE SUNDAY. (COMMUNICATED.)

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXIV, Issue 3353, 15 April 1868, Page 3

HOLY WEEK AND EASTEE SUNDAY. (COMMUNICATED.)

On Holy Thursday the divine offices of the Church commenced, iv St. Patrick's Cathedral, with a solemn high mass, the celebrant being the Very Rev. Dr. McDonald, Vicar-General, who officiated during Holy Week in the absence of the Bishop ; the deacou, Very Rev. Walter McDonald, Private Secretary ; sub-deacon, Rev. Patrick O'Reilly. At the end of the mass a solemn procession took place, in which the Blessed Sacrament was carried by the celebrant around the interior of the Church, accompanied by the sacred ministers bearing the cross, and others having lighted tapers in their hands, followed by two acolyths incensing continually the Blessed Sacrament. The procession having returned to the altar, the deacon received the Blessed Sacrament from the celebrant, and placed it in the repository, which was most religiously and tastefully arranged by the Sisters of Mercy. During the day and night the faithful assembled in great numbers m the Church to pay adoration to out divine Saviour. The Cathedral, so well lighted with gas and candles, had a moat imposing and solemn effect, and created in the hearts of the faithful religious sentiments of pieby, devotion, and the fear of the Lord. On Good Friday the sacred ministers performed the ceremonies in vestibus nigris according to the rubrics. the sacristy to the altar, and, having said some prayer*, the Passion of Jesus Christ according to St John was sung in a very affecting manner— the celebrant representing our Saviour, the deacon taking the part of the people, and the sub-deacon that of the evangelist. At the conclusion of the Passion, the Very Rev. Walter McDonald preached a most impressive sermon, in which he gave a complete description of the life and death of our divine Saviour. Indeed, t this discourse was very pathetic, and was listened to with the most marked attention by a very large congregation. Then the '"clergy, sanctuary pupils, and the faithful approached the cross for the purpose of paying their veneration to that emblem of sanctification, which wat followed by the other religious ceremonies of the day. On Holy Saturday the ceremony commenced with the blessing of the now fire taken from flint with which the candles and lamps of the church were lighted. This ceremony signifies the doctrine of Christ teaching mankind. Then the paschal candles were blessed by the deacon, singing that very beautiful piece of music, "Exultet." Afterwards the solemn blessing of the font took, place. The " Kyne Eleison," the "Gloria," "Magnificat," with the "Easter Alleluias," peculiar to the holy season, were aung by the choir with marked precision. On Easter Sunday there weie high masses m the various churches of the city and suburbs. At the high mass in St. Patrick's Cathedral, the Very Rev. Dr.' McDonald, View-General, was celebrant ; Very Bey. Walter McDonald, deacon; and Rev. Francis del Monte, sub-deacon. After the gospel, the Very Rev. Walter McDonald preached an eloquent sermon on the festival of the day. , In the evening at six o'olock there were solemn vespers and benediction of the Blessed Sacrament, the sacred ministers being the same W at the high mug.

The sanctuary pupils were very numerous, and performed their several duties with the greatest regularity and edification. The effective choir of the Cathedral, assisted by many members of the other parochial churches in Auckland, were most assiduous in their attendance during the ceremonies of Holy Week and_ Easter Sunday, and executed with much precision the different portions of the matsas and the vespers on Easter Sunday.