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JJABLUS AKD 791DUNT. Eral
Lujisoly Interesting Bacrlficlal ceremony i
held yearly on a lofty mount In Palestine, pre
senting: a curious combination of Jewish
ritual and Arab festivity. But It Is not often
the privilege of an outsider to witness this
unique celebration of the feast of the Passover.
There Is hut one spot on earth where the
sacrifice of the Paschal lamb Is still offered, but
the site is not Jerusalem, as one might suppose, nor are the
worshipers the descendants of the ancient " chosen people,"
the Jews.
The site made Interesting by the observation of this an
cient rite Is Mount Gherlzlm, in Shechem. in the north of
Palestine, and the people who perform it are the Samaritans.
They are a small community, numbering 120 families, liv
ing In clannish solitude in their picturesque home, Nablous.
This quaint village of white stone, flat roofed houses Is
built up over the site of the anolent Samaria, founded by
Omrl, king of Israel, at the time of the separation between
Judah and Israel. As the dwellers have never migrated from
this spot, they are a peculiarity of this section of northern
Palestine, living entirely to themselves, and never Intermar
rying with those of other cre ds. Their origin has been a
subject of controversy, some people believing them to be de
scendants of the Israelites who returned after the Assyrinn
captivity; others claiming that they are merely of Assyrian
stock who settled there and accepted the Jewish form of
ritual.
Whatever may be their real origin, the fact remains that
the Jews have always hated them, as seen in the story of the
woman of Samaria. The little sect has clung tenaciously to
its religion ever since it was adopted, and unfailingly ob
serves all the feasts and fasts of the Jewish religion, follow
ing moBt minutely every Mosaic Injunction. But the Samari
tans reject aJl Talmudlc and- Rabbln-lc Interpretations and
additions. This Is one of the principal sources of animosity
between them and the Jews. The head of their religion Is the
high priest, Isaac Ben Amram. who claims direct descent
from the ancient Levttes, by whom such services In the Jew
ish ritual have been performed.
There l". a quaint old synagogue on the hill where their
sacred Hteruture Is hidden from the curious eye of the trav
eler. These parchment rolls of the Pentateuch, which are
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written by hand In ancient Hebrew, are said to date from the
captivity, and are, therefore, considered too precious to be
handled by strangers, so to satisfy the curiosity of tourists
some reproductions are shown to visitors on receipt of a
fee. Tourists are also privileged to buy a photograph of the
interesting old high prleBt and of the rolls, vestments, and
other accessories to the Samaritan worship.
The celebration of the Passover is the most peculiar of all
their ceremonies. This sacrificial rite is most impressive
and interesting, being celebrated at night under a moonlight
sky, and exhibiting a strange combination of Jewish devout
ness and pagan fanaticism. It appeals to the spectator, first,
because It Is a relic of the old Jewish ritual now nowhere ob
served by the Jews themselves, for, with the destruction of
the temple by Titus, all vestige of sacrifices disappeared,
offerings not being lawful anywhere but In the temple at
Jerusalem.
At each recurring eve of the Passover, which corresponds
nearly to our Easter, and which ' commemorates the hasty
meal eaten by the Israelites on the eve of their departure
from Egypt, the Samaritans gather on the summit of Mount
Gherlzlm, overlooking their village. Here the sacrificial serv
ice Is held. The Jews In Palestine also celebrate this feast of
the Passover, but they omit the sacrificial element, and the
rabbis have Introduced so many variations that the service Is
no longer the same as when It was first Instituted.
Sacred Panorama Seen from Mount
There Is a primitive simplicity about this ancient cere
mony In Oherlzim which recalls vividly the events of the
first celebration in Egypt. The solemnity and stillness of
the hour awe the. spectator, the service being held between
sunset and midnight. At early dawn the worshipers can still
be seen kneeling within and around their tents, clad In white
garments, leaning on their staffs.
There is a peculiar charm about the site chosen for the
service. This ihistoric mountain, rising gloomily, and grandly
in the midst of such a landscape, a rocky, bare mountain, tow
ering above fertile valleys, and crowned by a little white stone
" waly "the tomb of a saint which marks the site of the
ancient Samaritan temple. All around rise other hills made
memorable by sacred lore Hermon, Labor, and Gilboa.
Against the distant horizon the Mediterranean can be seen
like a bright silver thread stretching all the way from Carmel
to Gaza, and down In the Intervening plains dotted here and
there are mud hut villages. At the foot of the mountain lies
the vale of Shechem, where Jacob pastured his flocks.
This height In Samaria certainly offers the most wonderful
panorama In all western Palestine, and forms an appropriate
sibe. entranced by sacred associations, on which to celebrate
this ancient rite.
Preparations for Indent Rife.
These thoughts filled our minds as we ascended the mount
one bright afternoon In anticipation of the service which
It was our privilege to witness. Toward the close of day we
saw that preparations were being made for the evening sacri
fice. Two fires were lighted at a little distance from the
ruins of the ancient temple, not far from some tents which
had been pitched for the worshipers. Each family had a
separate tent. One of the fires was In a trench within a
walled Incloaure, where the sacrifices were to be offered. This
was for the heating of water In Immense caJdrons, to scald
the slaughtered lambs. The other fire, outside the lnclosure,
was lighted within a pit, some seven or eight feet deep, like
a well, walled Inside with stones, to serve as an oven fof
roasting the liumla for the evening meals after the ceremony.
Half an hour before the setting of the sun the high
prtestappeared, attired in a pearl colored silk surplice, wear
ing a white turban. He knelt solemnly on a scarlet rug
before a primitive stone lectern facing the east, where stood
the ancient temple of old. Before him lay the seven white
Iambs ready to be slain. Behind him knelt two other priests
and their children.
A semicircle of tents foimed an effective background, and
In these the congregation worBttlped, facing the east. At one
end of the semicircle were men dressed In pure white. These
were the " sacrlflcers," awaiting the summons to bring for
ward the victims. The high priest prayed aloud, beseeching
God to accept the sacrifice offered according to his command
to Moses. As at the Jewish celebration, the congregation
recited the story of the deliverance from Egypt and of the
first Passover supper In a mournful Intonation. Whenever
the name of Jehovah was pronounced the people prostrated
themselves In oriental fashion.
Part of the service was carried on In perfect silence, while
All stood and prayed, covering their faces with their hands
before each recurring mention of the sacred name, and at
Intervals stretching out their upturned hands, " to catch the
blessing as It descended from heaven." The hervlce continued ,
thus tlil sunset. Meantime every detail of preparation for
the sacrifice hd been attended to. The lambs had been care
fully examined by an appointed assistant .if the high priest,
for they must be perfect and "without MemlBh.M Bitter
herbs were prepared and laldi on a straw matting beside the
cakes of unleavened bread.
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worship. Mount Gheeezim -Satsiak-ia.
As the sun s rays shed a" rosyhue"on"theeniple'ssIte,"
crowning the white stone tower with a glorious wealth of
color, we knew that the hour of the sacrifice was fast ap
proaching. Ben Amram rote solemnly on to the stone bench.
He stood looking westward, watching the sun slowly dis
appearing below the blue waters of the Mediterranean beyond
the plain of Sharon. It wa3 a moment of suspense and of In
tense Interest. The story of the Passover was still echoing
around us, for the people continued murmuring the Hebrew
poem.
The attendants brought forward the Iambs near to the
caldron fire and held them there. Not a sound of bleating
was heardi The attendants flashed their knives. The intona
tion grew louder and louder.
As the sun slowly sann the Interest of I he worshipers In
creased, and at last, as it had disappeared, the high priest
exclaimed loudly: "And the whole assembly of the congrega
tion of the children of Israel shall kill It at even." This was
the signal for the sacrifice to take place, for all the lambs
must be slain at once.
Then followed a strange scene, breaking Into the solemn
stillness of a moment before. A struggle took place for the
privilege of killing the lambs. The high priest hastened to
the site of slaughter and, hurriedly disrobing himself of his
silken gown, quickly and skillfully killed four of the seven
lambs almost instantaneously. The victims were cut In the
throat by a single stroke. The blood was saved In basins, and
every member of the congregation dipped his finger In the
blood and made a sign on his forehead with It. The doors of
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the tents were sprinkled with blood In memory of the angel
passing over the homes marked by blood in Egypt.
A sound arose from within the tents. The children, who
bad listened, began to wall at the weird sight.
With this act of sprinkling the ceremony ended, the sac
rifice had been offered, and the new year entered upon. The
people congratulated each other Joyfully, and respectfully
klssd the hand of the high priest.
Scene Changes to Reioicing.
The scene changed suddenly from one of worship and
stillness to one of loud rejoicing and bustle, for the men
within the tents arose and hastily gathered at the chosen
spot for the feast. The high priest and his attendants now
appeared in pure white linen, girdled and carrying staffs, ap
pearing like Israelites on that memorable night in Egypt.
They stood) solemnly before the fire where the Iambs were
hidden, and there, by the still flickering red light of the
sacrificial fire, they prayed. Then, taking off the covering
of this primitive oven, they lifted out the stakes with the
roasted lambs.
Within the dark pit the fire had died out. Baskets were
ready at hand to receive the flesh as It was torn off the
lambs. This was done hastily but carefully, for every piece
of meat or bone falling Into the fire had to be lifted out
again by men who were lowered down Into the hot oven for
that purpose. A trench nad been prepared for these baskets
of food, where they were laid In a line between the rows of
hungry people.
It was a strange scene. These girded pilgrims, as If ready
for a Journey, squatting In Arab fashion on the ground on the
summit of the great mount, surrounded by other dark moun
tain tops frowning around on all sides, and casting heavy
shadows on the otherwise bright landscape, Illuminated by
the brilliant light of an eastern moon. It was a truly oriental
night In all Its beauty, end a truly oriental scene. Th?se
people, seemed to our Imagination, to be the Israelites of
whom they had been singing, and this the first Passover
supper. But there was no fear; all was peace and Joy.
Women Barred from Feast.
Unlike the celebration among the Jews, where families
are all united at this supper, here the women remained in
their tents, true to oriental custom. There they received
their portion of the feast, to which Gentile visitors, of course,
were not Invited. According to the biblical Injunction, noth
ing was left. All remnants were gathered and burned cere
tnoniously. Having partaken of the feast, the worshipers did not
retire to their tents, but remained out or the mount all
night praying. Only at dawn of day did they withdraw to
lMMfcuMAJ - i ii i IT ' irf -" i ' " " ' " "
A "WOMAN OP SAMARIA