Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1858-05-31
Great Catholic Ceremonial Mt Alexandria.

Reported and translated for ths Star I
Before 5 O'Clock yesterday morning 4 crowd
began to collect to witness the imposing ceremo-
ny Of the conservation Of the altar OF ST Mary'x
Church. little after q, the Most Rev Francis
p. kenrck, Archbishop Of Baltimore, attended
by the Rev. Peter Kroes Pastor of the Church.
and young clergymrn from Georgetown College
and three thurifiers incense bearer erOsiej bearer
mitre bearer cross bearer, &c, entered the sane
tnary, and took seat upon throne which had
been prepared on the gospel side Of the altar
The service then began with the antiphon :. Re-
member not, d Lord, our offences nor those Of
our parents, and take not revenge our sins -
The 9th, 3lst, 9th, 5Oth, l0lst, l29th and Il2d
psalm were then recit.d and the archIj.hon
having assumed the amict, alb, stole CAFE ard
mitre, and holding his crosi. pastoral staff
stood before the altar and said - May the one
onniPotent God, Father, Son and Holy Ghost be
with us. Let us pray
Direct, we beseech Thee o I.old our actions
by thy inspiration, and carry them on by thy as
sistance: that every prayer aud work of ours may
be lin always from Thee. and by Thee be ended
throu9h Christ our Lord. Amen.
He then Teclin'd upon chair whilst the lita-
MES were recitrd rising, iowa! ds the end, and
adding these petitions:
That thou wOuldst vouchsafc TO bless this altar
| To be cOhscCrated tn thy honor and the name Of
| the Blessed Virgin Mary.
We be>eech thee TO hear Us
| That thou wOuld>t voUc hsdfe To bless and .suc-
tify this altar To he Sccr.d To thy honor and
the name of the Blessed Virgin Mary
| We btseech thee tn hear US
| That thou wouldst vouchsafe to bless sanctifv
| and consec!ate this altar, to be consecrated to
| thy honor and the name Of the Blessed Virgin
| We beseech thee to hear us
He then repeated twice " Incline unto nv aid
o l.O d. q God make haste to help me-, with
the doxologyr and afterwards blessed salt ashes,
| water and wine, which he mingled together y
| W bile the i2d Psalm was recited by the assist
| ants, he made tive Crosses thereyith upon the
centre snd four corners of the altar, SAYING each
| time " Nav this altar he sanctiied I'm honor OF
| Almighty God. and OF the glorious VirpiD Mary
| and OF all the Saints ia the name OF the Father
and of the S'n, and of the Holy Ghost. Peace be
| with thee y
Thea standing before the altar, he said a beau.
| tiful prayer, Ia which allusion was made to the
stone which Jacob set up for d title at Bethel
| Then reciting the verse: 'fSprinkle me- o Io,d
with hys'op, ana shall be- cleanscd; wash me,
and ! shall be made whittier than snow" he
passed seven times around the altar sprink king
II with the mixture az water, DC, mentioned
above while the assistants recitrd the 5Oth Psalm
Alter another pay, that all who may suppli
cate God 5 mercy before the altar may receive an
answer To their prayers. he blessed sand and
lime, and made a small quantity of cement with
which to close up the cavity in the altar He
next went in procession with the assistants 10 an
adjoining room. where certain relics Of SAINTS
| Luke, AtbanaSiuS, Augustine and Charles had
been deposited the night previous.
After prayers and the recitation Of several verses
OF Scripture, the AIcLD shop brou2 ht them to tie
altar, aud the anti phon-' The saints shall rejoice
In glory, they shai! be joyful the beds
the 1871 and lJOth psalms, was Tscited with a
prayer, that the sanctity Of altar 10 be-
mig ht never tie violst' d lie then anointed the
sepnlcG:e, or little cavity in the altar table, in
which the relics were enshrinel, with chrism-a
mixture Of oil Of olives and balm OF I'll X ad-fve
times in the form Of cross, saying each tins
May this sepuchIe be consecTaIed and sancti-
h"d La The name OF the Father, and Of the son,
and Of the Holy Ghost Peace be 10 this house. );
| Whilst the assistants We're Teciting some other
praye.s, the Archbishop, taking incense la a cen
ser, incensed tue relies and CLOSE d the sepuchie
with stone, which he also anointed with chrism
saving May this stone be rated nd sa ~.
tihed by this amounting and the blessing Of God
la the name Of the Father, and of the son. su.i
| Of the Holy Ghost. Peace be 10 thee He the N
repeated the anti ,hon: 90 Under the altar Of God
heard the voices of the slain, saving Wherefore
dost thou not revenge our blood and they re-
ceived the Divine answer, BE patient vet little
while, till the number Of your brethren be filled
up" In allusion to the scene described In the
10th ard 18th verses Of the 9th chapter Of Reve'