on September 1st; it contains four great fasts, of which, however, only Lent is strictly kept. There is the same fundamental cycle of feasts as with us, although some of the feasts have different names. The most striking differences are that our Trinity Sunday is their All Saints, and that they have two All Souls' days — the Saturdays before Sexagesima and Whit Sunday. They have ten service books, very complicated and difficult to use. In all their churches a great screen cuts off and hides the sanctuary. Each of their vestments corresponds to one of ours, but they look quite different. They also need many more instruments for the holy liturgy than we do. Byzantine plainsong is enharmonic, and so sounds weird and unpleasant to us. The Holy Liturgy is said according to two different rites, and there is a third for the Mass of the Presanctified in Lent. The common use is that of St. John Chrysostom, a long and elaborate service of which the most striking feature is the Great Entrance, a procession of the oblations round the church just before they are consecrated. They baptize by immersion, rarely hear confessions, give Holy Communion under both kinds, confirm by the priest immediately after baptism, ordain by laying on one hand only, crown the spouses at marriage, and anoint not only the sick but even people in good health, by seven priests. They doubt our baptism, holy orders, and holy Eucharist. Chrism is a mixture of many substances. They have two kinds of blessed bread and many sacramentals. At the Epiphany they solemnly bless the waters; they fast much more than we do, hardly ever have sermons, and constantly offer the holy Sacrifice for the faithful departed.
