The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1879-06-12
THE GREAT CATHEDRAL.
Dedication of the most Magnificent Temple
in America.
NEW York. Sunday. Nav 25.

New YORK, Sunday, May 25.
The dedication of the new Cathedral
of St. Patrick to-day was doubtless the
most imposing ceremonial of the kind
that has ever occurred in the New World.
Indeed, it may be safely said that no
other religious service in America has
brought together so many dignitaries Of
the Church or been performed with the
rubrical elaboration and the impressive
ness for which this event was remarkable.
The day was propitious, and the chant of
the choristers during the ceremony of
blessing, that "this is a day of glory,
bright among glorious days." was as lite
rally true rs was another musical an
nouncement in the same part of the ser
vice, that "it is we'll founded upon solid
rock" From early morning until nine
or ten o'clock it would seem that every
policeman and nearly every man, woman
and child had duty to perform up about
Murray Hill. Travel appeared to be all
in that direction. Long before ten, the
time when the ceremonies began, the
block covered by the Cathedral, which is
bounded by Fifth and Madison avenues
and Fiftieth and Fifty-first streets, was
hemmed in by dense crowd that could
not be numbered, except by a wild guess.
Good order prevailed, however, and the
four hundred policemen who lined the
north and south sides and the front of
the Cathedral, where the portals are To-
Gated, had nothing serious to trouble
them. All the seats, purchased at the
rate of FIVE dollars for those in front
| (which, by the way, meant by far the
greater part of the whole number in the
churcl,) and three dollars for those in
the rear, were occupied shortly after nine,
and almost as soon every square foot of
standing room was occupied by persons
who had paid one dollar each for the
right. As already announced, the money
thus acquired goes into the building
fund, where it is needed. Seats close to
the sanctuary were occupied by Lieuten-
ant Governor Dorsheimer, Chief Justice
tP. G. Daley, Judge John R. Brady,
Charles O'Conor, Judge Miles Beach,
and other prominent citizens. Thomas
Hitchcock, of the Sun. was in first pew,
and two pews behind him was Cornelius
Vanderbilt. Henry Bergh and Mrs.
Hicks Lord entered together and sat in
the same pew. John Kelly, who is one
of the trustees of the cathedral, and
John McKeon were together also. Other
noteworthy persons sprinkled among the
assemblage included Sheriff Reilly, Dis
trict Attorney Phelps, Miss Mary L.
Booth, editor of Harper's Bazar, Mrs.
Barney Williams and Miss Williams,
Nathaniel Jarvis, clerk of the Supreme
Court, A. NJ. Palmer and Mrs. Sheridan
Shook.
THE PROCESSION.
At the last moment numerous offers OF
from ten to twenty-five and at last one as
high as thirty dollars were made for
tickets, and, in few cases, were accept
ed. The thousands unable to gain ad-
mission tried to content themselves with
witnessing the blessing of the outside of
the building, or with obtaining tickets
for the Vespers and evening sermon.
Although the ceremonies, beginning
promptly at 10 o'clock, were not conclu-
ded until 10 minutes past 8, the great
audience appeared deeply interested
throughout and showed no signs of wea-
riness. The sun rays streaming in
through the memorial windows, which
form the most striking feature of the
edifce, brought out fully the beautiful
tracery and carving of the lofty roof,
arches and superb main altar upon
which not less than 100000 has been
spent, and the gracefulness of the pill
lars, and shed soft light upon the silent
thousands below. Some sparrows perch
ed upon the marble shamrocks of the
roof and united their chirping with the
tones of the organ throughout the cere-
monies. The floral. display was tasteful
but not extensive, consisting, on the
main altar, of bed at the foot of the
cross above the tabernacle, and two large
d bouquets on each side, and on each of the
four other altars, two of which are on the
| right and two on the left Of the main
altar, was the same number of bouquets.
Upon all the altars were the usual large
candlesticks and candelabra, and when
the services commenced all the candles
on the main altar were lighted.
First came the ceremonies of the bless
ing, which began with an imposing pro-
cession that moved from the sacristy, at
the Epistle side of the grand altar,
through the sanctuary and down the nave
aisle, in the following order: Cross
bearer, carrying golden cross, assisted
by acolytes with lighted candles; 80
sanctuary boys, in red cassocks and
white surplices; priests, in black cas-
socks and white surplices, chanting and
intoning the psalms of the blessing; rs
priests, in black cassocks and white sur
plices, and carrying Breyiaries, who in
toned the Miserere when the procession
got outside the Cathedral, and among
whom were the Very Rev. DR.. Corcoran,
of the Seminary of St. Charles Bor-
romeo, Philadelphia; 6 Dominicans, in
full habit; IS priests, dressed similarly
to the others and performing the same
duty, 2 monks with long boards and in
brown habit; the sanctuary choir of 120
boys and men, including 80 priests of
the archdiocese and the choir of ST.
Paul the Apostle, all wearing purple
cassocks and white surplices; then fol-
lowed 80 bishops, all in purple cassocks,
lace abs, gold and silver-embroidered
white copes and plain white mitres, and
each attended by his secretary.
THE CARDINAL.
Three acolytes in scarlet and lace, the
central one holding golden vase filled
with holy water, preceded Cardinal Nc
Closkey. The Cardinals soutane of wa
tered red silk rustled as he moved, and
its train swept far behind him. His
waist was girt with deep sash of water
ed red silk, the ends being weighted with
large golden tassels. A surplice of finest
lace was above the soutane. A pectoral
cross of gold hung from his neck by q
gold chain. From his shoulders flowed
a mantle of watered white silk encrusted
with golden blazonry. The centre of
the dazzling show was a pelican nour-
ishing her nestlings with her life blood,
typifying the supreme devotion of the