fulfilment of the imperfect sacrifices of
the old law. Hence, there is no doubt that the Jewish Passover was
taken over into Christianity. Thereby its typical ceremonies found their
due fulfilment.

"To the real and historical connection between Easter and the Passover
is due the explanation of a striking peculiarity in the Church's year,
viz., the moveable feasts of which Easter is the starting point. Easter
falls on no fixed date, because the Jewish 15th Nisan, unlike the dates
of the Julian and Gregorian Calendars, varied year by year.

"The preparation for Easter was the Lenten fasts. The fare on fast days
consisted of water and soup made with flour; fruit and oil and bread
were also eaten. The catechumens also fasted on Wednesdays and Fridays.
Among the faithful there were some who ate nothing from their repast on
Sunday until the following Saturday, e.g., for five days, and who all
the year round took only one meal a day. Others abstained in Lent from
all food for two consecutive days, but others fasted by taking nothing
to eat all day, until the evening" (Kellner, _op. cit._, p. 93).

The Easter celebrations were in the early ages chiefly noted for the
great and solemn ceremonies of baptism conferred on a large number of
catechumens, with solemn procession from the baptistry to the cathedral.
The Easter Octave celebrates by festivals the supper at Emmaus, the
appearance of our Lord (St. Luke xxiv.), His appearance by the sea (St.
John xxi. 1-14), His appearance to Magdalen (St. John xx. 11-18), His
appearance on the mountain (St. Matthew xxviii. 16-20), and His
appearance just after He had risen (St. John xx, 1-9),

THE ASCENSION.

This day was kept as a festival in very early times, although it is not
mentioned in the lists of Church festivals given by Tertullian (+220),
nor by Origen (185-254). St. Augustine (354-430) (Epist. ad Januarium,
54, c.l.) attributes the institution of this festival to an apostolic
ordinance or the injunction of a general council. But neither can be
proved. But the festival dates from the days of the early Church, and as
it was natural that the concluding act of our Saviour's life should be
remembered and honoured, the celebration of the feast of His Ascension
spread widely and rapidly. The feast was noted for the solemn
processions held, to imitate and to commemorate our Lord's leading of
the Apostles out of the city to the Mount of Olives.

WHIT SUNDAY.

Pentecost or Wh