Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-06-14
Gather in Thousands at the Famous
Shrine of st. Anthony, on
Troy Hill, Allegheny,
TO BE CURED OF ALL THEIR ILLS.
From Early Morn to Late in the Evening, to
Receive Father Mollingers Bless
ing, and Possibly
RETURN HOME RELIEVED OF TROUBLE,
People Of All Creeds Are Present. From All Parts Of the
United States.

tOrments,
such as were po ssessed by the devil, and
lunatics and those that had the palsy and He
cured them. And many people followed Him
from Galilee. Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and
beyond the Jordan, and running through the
country they began to carry about in beds
those that were sick where they heard He was.
These words uttered by st. Luke were
recalled yesterday at Father Mollinger's
church on Troy Hill, the occasion being the
celebration OF st. Anthony's Day. As early
as Monday last people began to arrive from
abroad. All sections of the United States
were well represented BY people who came
to be cured ofevery known malady that man
is heir to.
A family of four from Texas. whose eldest
son was afflicted with the terrible st. Vitus'
dance, and who had done everything that
medical science could do to cure the boy of
his malady, but to no avail, as a last resort
brought the boy all the way to Troy Hill to
have Father Mollinger treat him. From
San Diego, Cal, came woman who had
been blind for period of ten years, and had
been under the treatment of specialists who
were unable to restore her sight. In a con-
versation she said: 81 have implicit faith in
Father Mollinger, and 1 think he will
eventually cure me-"
CROWDS AT THE CHURCH.
From 4 o'clock yesterday morning until
late in the afternoon people crowded the
street cars going to the church. On the hill
the scene was an animated one. People and
carriages were going to and fro, jostling
each other in vain efforts to get inside the |
church. which had been packed to suffoca-
tion by the faithful long before o'clock in |
the morning. BY O'Clock the yard outside |
of the church held twice as many as were on |
the inside, and about five times as manv |
more were clamoring for admission to the |
yard. At least Is, 600 people were present, /
OF whom at least 5000 came from various |
parts of the United States.
Wednesday night people began to arrive |
and take up quarters in the boarding houses
on the hill. Miller's, Hacks, Beck's, and
all the boarding houses were filled to their
utmost capacity by such people who came
to have medicine and blessings administered
to them. Weak ard puny babies who had
been afflicted from birth were there in the
arms of their mothers, bowling and CRYING
in a wav that almost drove some of the other
inyalids to destruction. The facilities for
quartering so many people are not of the
best on Troy Hill, but the visitors can not
be induced to take up their quarters any
where but in the immediate vicinity of the
church, where they could be first upon the
scene and get within the church and get
front seat.
"A4AINN run 1nb
This spirit seemed to take possession of
everybody, for at 4:30 yesterday morning a
crowd that the church could not begin to /
accommodate had gathered around the
doors to wait the rising of the sun, when the
services would begin.
Every house contained some of the pil-
grims; wagon sheds and barns were utilized |
Ior sleeping places. Not only the Catholics
in the neighborhood, but those of other re-
ligious views, threw wide their doors and
invited the visitors to take up with them.
This generous hospitality was more than
the strangers expected, and the poor crea-
lures overwhelmed with thanks and bless
ings the people who were SO kind to them.
By o'clock people began to arrive by all
sorts OF conveyances, in carriages, wagons
Etretchers on mattresses, and on crutches;
there were the MANNED and deformed in
every possible way. People who visited the
church last year, and who were benefited bv
the treatment of Father Mollinger, eere
there, and with them they brought their
friends.
The solemn high mass of requiem was
celebrated at 6. 7:30, 9 and 10 o'clock; the :
blessing was given the people at all these
masses, and at 5 o'clock in the afternoon, as
the day grew warmer, Father Mollinger took
mp his position in the doorway of the chapel
When he appeared at the entrance of the
CIOhu udO Ill assembled the | :
outside. He carried in his hand the citorium
with which he administered the blessing, by !
slight touch on the head. This citorium
is a casket or case in which the Host is ex- !
posed to view 1t is made of gold, and
studded with diamonds and precious stones
IMPLICIT CONFIDENCE EXPRESSED, &
For three long, weary hours the crowd
continued to pass before Father Mollinger
In steady stream, and at o'clock in the ]
evening the crowd was still coming up and {
kneeling before him TO receive his blessing.
He did not ofhciate at the mass, bat gave up {
all his time in going among the sick and
lame that patiently waited for him under
the boiling sun. When he appeared the
multitude of people knelt down on the
ground, it did not matter In what position
they were. Many filled the road, and Tor a /
hall square it was unapproachable during I
the time Father Mollinger was walking G
about among the supplicants for his bless :.
ing and treatment. When he raised s
the blessed sacrament, encased in the
the people knelt in the dust and
dirt OF the road, demonstrating their i'm
plicit faith in the divine power of healing y
Of the venerable priest. He continued to
minister to the wants of the unfortunate !
people, ceasing only for a short interval,
which he took for refreshment, after which
be again reappeared and once more blessed
the assemblage. The people received the
blessing with bowed heads, kneeling on the I.
ground, and with profound reverence. : :
PEOPLE OF ALL cREEDs.
Catholics were not the only ones there to
receive aid, but every denomination and
religious sect was represented, and all went a
through the formula in the same manner as
the Catholics All seemed to have un- 8
bounded faith in the healing powers of
Father Mollinger, the rich and the poor, the
educated and the ignorant, all were on hand
10 be healed and give testimony to the won 6
derful power exercised by the priest. At
o'clock the reverend father took mp his
position in the center of the altar, inside the
church. The crowd then poured into the
church and up the side aisle, and came v
along in front of Father Mollinger, and 4
knelt in front of him to receive the blessing.
BE went through the ordeal with great
and after the afflicted were blessed n
hey passed on to an image under the +
pulpit, which is called a communion
punch. This figure is said to possess
charm for healing, and the believers would
come uD and kneel before this image and
,ffer up prayers. They then devoutly kissed
he image and rubbed their hands on it,
ind then applied their hands to the afflicted
parts of their bodies. 7
It was very pathetic to see the blind wend +
heir way along, stretching out their hands 3
o lay them upon this image This punch
las q remarkable charm, the people believe,
md ii is said miracles have been brought q
bout by the influence attending the