The New York herald., 1875-03-26

MaUnday Thursday Services
in st. Patrick'S Cathedral.
BLESSING THE HOLY OILS.
Good Friday-General Suspension of Business
Religious Exercises in the Churches.

At st. Patrick's Cathedral, yesterday morning,
pontifcal high mass was celebrated, His Emil.
nence Cardinal McCloskey being the celeprant.
The sanctuary was still draped with purple, the
large cruci1x above the altar. the figures, the
pictures and the other ornaments being all hid
den from view. The altar was stripped OF the
flowers and decorations which on solemn festi-
walls such as that OF yesterday-the Feast OF the
Annunciation--are won't 10 lend their beauty TO
the religious scene. The general harmony and
impresstyeness of the Catholic service, however,
was nothing abated by the simplicity with which
the altar arrangements had been made. Some
lights alone Illuminated the gilded background,
and served to marx more firmly the purple cover
ings which screened from view the emblems Of
hope and Joy which are generally conspicuous in
the sanctuary.
Yesterday, being Holy Thursday, the Virgins
altar had been prepared with suitable ornaments
and decorations for the customary depository,
which the faithful visit in thousands in accord
ance with a custom centuries old; but until the
close OF the mass this was concealed by white
cloth, and the numDerless candles surrounding
the temporary tabernacle were unlighted.
THE BLESSING OF THE HOLY OILS.
One of the most Interesting ceremonies OF the
Catholic Church takes place annually Holy
Thursday, and yesterday the ceremony was per-
formed curing the pontinca high mass by the
Cardinal, assisted by a number OF his pastors and
priests, as lollows:-Asslstant priest Vicar Gen.
eral Quinn; deacons Of honor, the Rev. Father
Curran and the Rev. Father Donnelly; deacon OF
the mass, the Rev. Father Hogan sup-deacon OF
the mass, the Rev. Father Hare; master OF cere-
monies, the Rev. Father Kearney; assistant master
OF ceremonies the Rev. Father Farrelly. The ritual
prescribes that twelve priests shall attend the
officiating Bishop at the blessing OF the oils and
the following named pastors were In attend.
ha nr Paw Eofh
Everett, Rev. Father Boyce. Rev. Father Far.
reilly, Rev. Father Healy Rev. Father Beaudevin,
Rev. Father Edwards, Rev. Father Reilly. Rev.
Father Nico, Rev. Father Mooney, Rev. Father
McGean and Rev. Father McNamee. Four Students
from Troy Seminary-Messrs. Doyle, Hayes, Cotton
and Farrell also took part in the ceremonies All
the priests wore abs and chasubles. The Arch
bishop, assistant priest deacons Of honor and the
deacon and suo-deacon Of the mass were vested
in chasubles Of the richest description. The
semlnarans wore chasubles OF green, the
priests wearing vestments OF white, and some
tnirty-seven boys, clad in red sourains and linen
surplices, attended within the sanctuary, the
cross.bearer and the two acolytes alone wearing
black souuans. The church was crowded to its
Utmost capacity, standing room being difficult to
secure in the centre aisle up to point where
lurther advance was refused by the ushers There
was no organ accompaniment to the singers ex-
rendered peculiarly Lenten. The "Credo" sung
was by the organtst, MIR. Schmity, a solemn com.
position. AT the 'Sanctus'' an 80 Salutaris' was
sung, and the "Agnus Del" was by Mine. The
singing was OF the very simplest sort, the singers
aiming merely to preserve the reflective charac-
ter OF the music.
PoNTIFICAL HIGH MASS.
The high mass was similar in all respects to the
ordinary ponlifcal mass which has been so often
at certain parts the Cardinal descended from the
altar to table covered with hite linen, whicn
was placed on the epistle side Of the sanctuary.
On this side were ranged the twelve pastors.
When the Cardinal occupied the chair In front OF
the table the deacons OF honor stood behind, the
masters OF ceremonies his left the assistant
pries+ far IN front the right and the deacon
and sub.deacon ofthe mass, VINO performed In the
ceremonies the special duties OF deacon and
deacon IN the blessing OF the oils, were I'M
mediately before the Cardinal. There were some
highly interesting scenes IN the ceremonies. AT
the beginning OF the macs the surpllced boys, led
by the cross-Dearer and acolytes, followed by the
thurllers aud the bearers OF the candle and the
missa and the mitre and crOzer bearers, ap.
peared III excellent order: then came the Twelve
pastors, followed by the semlnarIaus who were
III turn followed by the suD-deacOn ana deacon or
the mass; then came the deacons OF honor next
the assistant priest, ana last OF all the venerable
CardlnalArcholshOp wearing his mltre and car
rying mis- crozier In his lett hand. Ine Cardinal
looked TO be IN excellent health. and went through
the long and latigulng ceremonies without show
ing signs OF want OF vigor, though His Eminence
being the celeDrant OF the mass, was compelled to
remain fasting until alter O'Clock in tue after
noon. The clear, sweet voice which Is so iamliar
TO hdbltues OF the cathedral lhtoned the mass
with the same iervid pathos as usual. As the
sanctuary was seen, with all the participants IN
the service their respective places, the scene
was very solemn and very Impressive. There
little too much crowding Tor so many wltnIn so
small space still the effect vas in the highest
degree calculated to INSPIRE the benolder with
reverence lor the service about to begin. During
the "Gloria in EXcelss'' all the bells in the sane
out Its melancholy sound at intervals, while
music. immediatey after the conservation the
Cardinal descended from the altar and took his
seat at tue taole on the Eplstle side The Vicar
General then lntoned the words Oletnl Infrmo.
Tuna, ''the oil lor the SICK" A suD-deac0n. or
priest acting as such, retired TO tne sacrlstry and
brought the vessel containing the oil to the table.
saying IN presenting 1t, "Uleum lnhrmorum"
ana tue Vicar General then handed 1t to the Cdrdt.
nal, VINO proceeded to read the eXorcism and
other prayers and 10 bless the oil, which was at
once taken back TO the sacristry. The Cardinal
mitre, he proceeded with the mass, until he came
to the communion, when he consecrated host
oeing permitted on that day. All the priests now
received at the hands q the Cardinal the holy
seat at the table and the assistant priest SAID
aloud "Oleum ad Sanctum Chrsma." and tneu
"Ole um Catecnumenorum.n Incense having been
put 10 the thurloes the priests retired IN process
sion, Two by two, to the sacristy, and soon re-
TUNED, two Of them bearing the oil OF chrism and
the OH OF catechumens, preceded by another
priest or sub-Geacon carving the balm, TWO OF the
number chanting the n mn,
o Redemptor sumo carmen tenet concientium.
The vessels were placed on the table and COW
cred with a white coJh and the Cardinal, without
wearing the milre blessed the balm, saying two
prayers IN doing so. Putting on ne mir and
still standing he then mixed In paten balm with
a little OF the oil, and breatned three times over the
chrlsm IN the form OF cross. The Cardinal being
now seated each OF the twelve priests IN turn ap-
proacned the table and Dreataed three times ON
the chrism IN the form OF u cross a. the Cardinal
had done. After tnis the Cardinal pronounced the
exorcism OF the chrlsm and sung the preface. and
then mingled the palm and oil already mixed
on the paten wltn the cnrism in the Ampulla. The
cloth over the Ampulla being removed the Cardinal
saluted ne chrlsm by singing aloud, 'Ave, sane
tum Cnrsma" three times, raising his voice a tone
cacn sa autaton. Inc priests then, eacn in turn,
moved toward the Gospel side OF the altar and
from there approached the table, making three
genunexOns on the way, singing at eacn Renu.
1ectlon Ave, sanctum Chrlsma.n after the man