The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-03-25
FEAST OF THE ADJUDICATION.

The Significance OF the Festival and Its
Celebration I'm the Churches To-Day.
The Feast Of the ADnuncati0n OF the Blessed
Virgin Mary will be celebrated with becoming
solemnity In all the Roman Catholic and most OF
the Episcopal churches Of the city to-day, and the
devout members OF these denominations are sup
posed to observe 1t as q holiday OF obligation
Masses will be offered up and services performed
as on Sundays at the usual hours. In St. Patr1ck's
Cathedral there will be o solemn high mass at
halfpast ten O'Clock also In the Church OF St. Al
phonsus at the same hour, with q sermon In the
evening, at halfpast seven O'Clock. Celebrations
and sermons will take place as on Sundays in the
Churches Of st. Paul the APOSTLE st. Francis XAVIER
st. Stephens, and st. Anne's Episcopal church,
West Eighteenth street.
This festival takes its name from the happy
tidings brought by the Angel Gabriel TO the
Blessed Virgin Mary concerning the incarnation Of
the Son OF God. 1t commentaries the most I'm
portant embassy that was ever known-an en-.
bassy from the King OF Kings to an humble virgin
poor In earthly treasures, but greater in the eyes
Of God than all the seeptres in the world could
make an earthly monarch. The design OF this en-
bassy was 20 give Saviour to the world, victim
Of Precipitation to the sinner, son toa virgin still
re mainlng virgin, and new nature-the nature
Of humanity-to the Son Of God. The prophet
COnCeIVe
bring forth son" isaiah VIII, 49, and to the
Angel Gabriel, according to the words OF the Evan
gelist was entrusted the announcement Of these
words when he spake TO the Virgin Mary, "Hai /
full Of grace, the Lord IL with thee; blessed art
thou among women, cst. John XIV, and told her
she was to become the mother OF Jesus. st. Austin
says that, according to an ancient tradition, this
feast was completed on the 25th OF March. Both
the Eastern and Western Churches celebrate It on
this day and have done so, ct least since the fth
century. II is mentioned by Pope Geiasius l. in
492. The Council Of Oonstantinopc, In 500,
orders the ''nsfssu prGsanctt acdt0rumn as
on Good Friday, to be said on ali days
In Lent except Saturdays, Sundays and the Feast
Of the Annunciation. The Tenth Council OF Toledo,
In 656 calls this solemnfty rhe Feast of the Mother
or Co.," BY way OF excellence-'Festum SunctR
ViyptYts Gentytcts dies JesttUttdtts matrts, nam
QuodJ esf,tn est ndrts Utst tncGy7adtfs uerbI" In
praise OF this incomprehensible mystery of
the incarnation Pope Urban H., In the
Council OF Cermont, 1895 ordered the bell to be
rung every day for the triple angellca sautation,
or "An0el,ts D0ntnt," at morning noon and night,
the practice OF which devotion was recommended
severa.ly and successfully by Popes John H.,
Calixtus ILL.,, Paul ILL.,, Alexander VII, Clement X
and Benedict XIII. Is has ever since become q
very special and favo rite day of devotion to the
Blessed Virgin In all Catholic countries and COM
munites and has been frequently noticed as q day
on which pious Catholic ladies make vows OF viz
glnity and consecrate their lives to God in convent
life. The custom OF observing such holidays in &C.
c0rdance with the liturgy OF the Church Is as old
as Christianity itself and will probably continue as
long as its rites, ceremonies and Influences con-
tinue to prevail