Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1826-06-24
TCommunication.I


sented and called supers,itious by certain indi-
yiduals, have, at the request of several per-
sons, sent TO you something like a translation
| Of the late ceremony Of laying the corner stone
of the new Catholic Church in this town. If
you think that the inserting of it in your paper
would contribute TO the information and edifca-
ton Of your readers, you are at liberty to do so.
THE CEREMONY Is AS FOLLOWS:
First.-The Bishop, or Priest delegated by
him, preceded by the Clergy in their respective
dresses, goes in procession to the foot Of Cross
erected upon the spot where the future altar is
to stand, and here sprinkling the ground with
holy water, he says the following Antiphon, as
we term it: "Place, o Lord Jesus Christ, in
this spot the sign Of thy salvation, and suffer
not the destroying angel to enter here" He
then says the SD psalm, according 70 the Doway
Bible: after which the Antiphon is repeated.
THE FOLLOWING PRAYER is THEN SAID:
o Lord God! who although the heavens and
the earth cannot contain thee, thou hast vouch-
safed to have thy dwelling on earth, regard, we
beseech thee, This place with the mild and be-
nignant eyes of thy piety, Through The interccs-
sion Of the blessed Mary ever Virgin Ito whose
name and honour il is dedicated) and thro' the
merits and intercession of all thy Saints; and
purify it by the infusion ofthy holy grace from
every pollution, and thus purified, preserve it
Thou, O Lord, who didst fulfil the devotion of
thy beloved servant David, by the work of his
son Solomon, vourhsaie to accomplish our ar.
dent wishes in seconding the completion Of this
our undertaking. May all our spiritual enc
mics flee far from hence, through the same our
Lord Jesus Christ, thy son, who lives and
reigns with thee IN the unity Of the Holy Ghost,
one God for ever and ever. Amen.
The procession next moves to the place
! where the corner stone is TO be laid, and the
person officiating prays as follows, the rest of
the clergy responding to him:
V-Oar help is in the name Of the Lord.
R.-W no mace heaven and earth.
V.-Mav the name Of the Lord be blessed.
R.-From this time now and forever.
V. The stone which the builders rejected.
R.-This IS placed in the head oflhe corner.
V-Thou art Peter
Rand upon this rock l will build my
Church
V.-Glory be TO the Father, and TO the Son,
and 10 the Holy Ghost.
R.--As il was in the beginning, is now, and
over shall be, world without end Amen.
Let rs pray.
O Lord Jesus Christ, Son OF the living God,
thou who art the true, the omnpoteEt God, the
spendor and image OF the eternal Father, and
life everlasting: thou who art the corner stone
cut from the mountain without hands; the i'm
mo, able foundation; confirm this stone to be
laid in Thy name: and tnou who art the princi-
pie and the end, in which principle God the
Father created all things from the beginning,
be, we entreat thee, the principle and the in
crease and the contamination of this our work,
which is TO be erected to the honor and glory of
thy holy name, who. with The Father and the
Holy Ghost, livest and reignest one God world
without end Amen.
with an instrument in the shape of Cross, say
ing:
In the name of the Father, and of the Son,
and Of the Holy Ghost. Amen.
The stone is then sprinkled with Holy Wa
ter, and blessed as follows:
Bless, o Lord, this stone thy creature, and
grant, through the invocation of thy holy name,
that whoever shall contribute to the building OF
this Church, may enjoy health Of body and
peace mind, through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Here the Litanes are said whilst the mason
prepares he cement. Aiiher which, the off,
ciating Priest says the following antiphon:
Jacob, rising in the morning, erected stone
Tor title, pouring oil upon it; and vowed his
vow to the Lord: Truly this place is holy, and
| knew it not.
Here follows the l26th Psalm, Doway Bible).
At the conclusion Of the Psalm the Priest lays
his hand upon the stone, which is then laid in
the foundation, the Priest saying the following
| words:
In the faith Of Jesus Christ we place this first
| stone in this foundation, in the name of the Fa-
,her. and Of the Son, and Of the Folly Ghost;
that true faith may flourish here, with the fear
of God and fraternal charity, that this place
NAV be destined for holy prayer, for the invoca-
lion and praise Of The same our Lord Jesus
Christ, who, with the Father and the Holy
Ghost. lives and reigns one God for ever and
ever, Amen.
The stone is then sprinkled with Holy Wa
ter. the Priest saying, "Thou shalt sprinkle
me with hyssop, and shall be cleansed; thou
shalt wash me, and shall be made whittier than