The history of our Catholic faith that has spanned nearly 2,000 years is an unending story of the loving Providence of God in the lives of countless souls. This story has been preserved and handed down to us in many forms, from stone carvings and artwork to medieval manuscripts. In more recent times, the advent of periodicals, facilitated by the development of the printing press, introduced a new means of recording key moments in the life of the Church as well as the legacies of individual Catholics who by their examples of faith and courage have left an enduring mark upon the history of our faith. Some months ago, in my job as a library clerk at a major seminary, I was asked to do research in the pages of New York’s former archdiocesan newspaper, The Catholic News, from the 1950s, preserved on microfilm rolls. This assignment has proved to be an amazing experience in that it has opened up for me a huge vista

Holy Week In Corsica The Mediterranean island of Corsica is a culturally unique place with a largely French modern history but with a considerable Italian past. Its Holy Week customs are deeply rooted in the Italian phase of its history, yet they have taken on a distinctly Corsican character all its own. The fashioning of palm branches into a variety of artistic creations is a prevalent custom for Palm Sunday across Corsica. The finest examples, the pullezulle, are made by braiding the palms to construct depictions of religious symbols ranging from the cross and the fish to hearts and roses. The most elaborate pullezulle take the form of miniature churches. In the past, it was customary to make a special pullezulle for use on Good Friday as an adornment for the top of processional crosses, with the work of making this decoration beginning on Monday of Holy Week. On Wednesday of Holy Week, the erection in the churches of extraordinary Passion-themed shrines begins, enclosures traditionally