New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-05-21
Holy BOuOs.

d. benedict, recently transferred from thu
Church of St. Anzoni, at Rome, to thu
shrine prepared for them in the church at
tached to the Passionate Monastery, d
West HO00ken, was performed yesterday
afternoon with the pomp and splendol
characteristic Of the Roman Catholic
Church. The life of this saint il almost
completely buried in obscurity, nothing be-
ing known of him beyond the fact that he
IL believed to have suffered martyrdom in
the third century of Christianity. The re-
mains were discovered in the cemetery OF
St. Priscilla, in Rome, in 1871, and, having
been pronounced BY competent coolest.
astical- authorities to be the remains
of . young pstrician martyr, were re-
moved to the city of Spoleto. Italy,
and there deposited in the Church of St.
Benedict, Abbott and Confeseor, where. as
long as that edifice existed, they remained,
and were held by the faithful in great ven
GRAFTON. When the Church of St. Benedict
was demolished and its site became q part
of . public thoroughfare, the bones of the
saint were presented BY Decius Ancajani to
q venerable parish priest named Caspxrini,
who at once transferred them to = shrine in
the Church of St. Anzoni. in Rome, where
they were found few months ago ia Q re-
msrkable state of Preservation by an
American lady named Sarah Peters Mrs.
Peters, being aware Of the fact that
the churches of this country were
not in the possession of treasured
relics of this nature, easily induced
the pastor of st. Anzoni's to present
the bones of st. Benedict to the monastery
of the Passionate Fathers in West H0bOken.
On the arrival OF the case containing them
at the monastery. the seal, which had not
been touched in 200 years, was broken by
Bishop COrrigan, and the relics, consisting
of the skull, spine, breast and thigh bones,
and other particles of the frame. were care
fully removed to richly mounted, coffin
shaped glass case. The ceremony yesterday
OF transferring them to the shrine prepared
for their reception, in IN alcove situated to
the left of the main altar of the mOnastic
church, vas witnessed by . vast conereea.
ton. Many of the persons present came
from New York, Jersey City, and even
Brooklyn. The commencement of the serv-
ices was announced to occur at p. NJ but
so extensive were the preparations for the
event, that it was after four o'clock before
the organ sounded the Introductory process.
sion, and the unique and impressive cortege
appeared within the portals of the church.
This procession, which preceded the cele-
BY crOss-bearer clad in rich vestments,
and supported on either side by acolytes
with lighted tapers. About thirty other
altar boys. also carrying tapers and walk
ing two by two. followed immediately after.
Next came the ladies' of the sodality, their
features partially Obscured by long white
wells, and after them the children of the So
ciety of the Infant jesus. dressed in white,
each little girl carrying flowers to be laid
at the new shrine Of the saint. That Dor
ton OF the pageant which attracted the
creates: share of attention, however, was
that which next appeared within the door of
the editice and slowly advanced up the CEN
tire aisle while the Organist pl aged mournful
dirge. First came about twenty priests,
habited in black gown and surplices, fol-
lowed by four mem ers of the order bear
ing on their shoulders q couch of yellow
silk. ornamented with gold lace. on which
reposed lifs-like wax figure of St. Bene-
dict, clad in richly embroidered purple
tunic and polished morocco sandals. In
the right side Of the neck, directly under
appeared to have escaped, was perceptible.
immediately to the rear of this bier fol-
lowed other priests, carrying the glass-en-
cased relics, literally covered with rare
exotics and evergreens. Next came Right
Reverend Bishop COrrigan and the oficia-
ting priests and chanters. The couch on
which reposed the figure was placed on
an elevated dias near the railing on
the epistle side of the sanctuary. Branch
es of lighted tapers were placed at
the head and foot, and there were large
bouquets of flowers along the sides. The
celebration of Pontifical vespers was next
proceeded with. Bishop Corrigan officiating
as celebrant, Father Victor as assistant
priest, and Fathers Joseph, Dwyer and
as deacons OF honor. Sew
eral visiting clergymen and Paseionist stu
dents assisted. Previous to the benedic-
ton the bishop preached sermon, in which
be gave history of the finding of the re-
mains of St. Benedict and sketch of the
lives and sutferings Of the early Christian
The relics we're lett exposed to
view in the sanctuary throughout the after
noon and evening, and were viewed by
arge number of persons. To-day they will
oe informally placed in the receptacle under
he altar dedicated to the honor of the
York Times.