The New York herald., 1870-04-11
ST. A,N,s ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH.

Imposing rem0nies-Blcssing aud Distribut.
Ing the Palms.
Yesterday being Palm Sunday, the first day Of
Holy Week, 1t was celebrated by the usual ceremo.
MES or blessing and distribution of palms or ever
greens, professions anu solemn nigh masses In all
our Roman Catholic churches. At ST. Aun's, Chan
ceor Prestons church, the services and ceremonies
were beautiful and Impressive. They began
precisely at halfpast ten IN the morning Thirty
young girls dressed in white, and wearing
white lace wells and crowns OF white roses, entered
first, two and two, from the vestry door, Each
couple bowed before the altar upon entering, and
proceeded down the side aisle with slow and mea.
sured step to the M usic Of an appropriate voluntary
on the organ rendered In Dachauer's best STYLE
They passed through tns church door into the vesti
bule, and. Ie.entering the church by the central
aisle, approached the altar rail, making
THE USUAL GENUFLEXt0N
and fnn or on each side, filed the seats tha. had
been prepared for them Immediately in front OF the
altar rail-.
AS soon as they seated the clergy and acolytes
entered in solemn procession. r0bed In the purple
and gold vestments OF the Lenten season. All the
pictures statues and ornaments ON the affairs We're
also draped with purple and ornamented with ever
green's resembling palms.
First in the procession came the thurifer with
THE GOLDEN CENSER
ana an acoys WIN me silver vessel OF noly water
then the smaller attendants followed by the Rev.
Father De Chard. $. j., as sub-deacop, bearing the
mented with palm leaves, the Rev. Father Poole IA
deacon and Rev. Father Preston, who was the ON.
Giant and ceebrant OF the day. They passed at once
within the altar rail- and the ceremony OF
began rns service. sS SSass ss on na / exceedingly in
structive, as symbolic OF UhrsCs triumphant entry
into Jerusalem when the multitude strewed palm
branches and spread their garments IN his way
crying "HOsanDa to the son or David; blessed is he
tnat c0meth in the name OF the LORDS Immediately
after the blessing, sprinking with holy water and
periumng with incense. the palms were distributed
by the clergy, first TO the acOlytes within the ait8r
IAN, then 70 the young girls without the rails, each
kneeling reverentlY received the branch
The procession was formed while appropriate an
tpn0ns were sung the tiurfer taking the lead,
with the smoking censer, az before. WIe the pro-
cesslon was making the circuit OF the church the
palms were distributed By ushers 10 the congrega-
ton, who remained in their seats.
SOLEMN HIGH MASS
was celebrated as soon as the procession was over,
Rev. Father Preston being the celebrant. No sermon
was preached, as the long reading OF the passion
OF Lord as recorded by ST. Matthew. in chapters
XVI and XVII, Is the gospel appointed by the
rnbric for the day. This was read ia English with
1uency aud cearness by the Rev. Father Poole.
sion was Detsch's twelfth mass. The QtaadO
Corpus Of RossIni's Stabat Mater was beauli.
fully sung at the ofertory by Mile. de
B. aux, soprano; Mme. Gomcn, contralto Sign0rs
Errani and RENT, tenor and basso. Father Preston.
in lew remarks exh0rted his congregation to avail
themselves Of the privilege and duty Of approaching
the sacraments during Lent and The approaching
Easter season. The service did not ciose Until otter
one o'clock p. ".