The Washington times., 1894-12-31
ST. PAUL'S DEDICATED
BY CARDINAL GIBBONS
Mgr. SatoIli Read the Mass and
Bishop Curtis Preached.
FIFTY PRIESTS TOOK PART
At Vcspers Rev. DR.. Stafford Deliv-
cred an Eloquent Sermon.
An Immense Multitude Filled the Beautiful
Church, Even Crowding tho AislesIn-
teresting and Elaborate Ceremonial OBJ
served in the Act of Dedication-A Solemn
Scene Made Brilliant by Rich Vestments i.

served IL Lue RcL OF UeQlcaJt0n-A solemn
Scene Made Brilliant by Rich Vestments.
In the presence of large concourse Of
parishioners that filed the large edlfice to
overflowing the new bIilding of st. Paul's
Catholic Church, at the corner OF Fifteenth
and v streets, was dedicated yesterday morn
ing to the service of God and the cherished
hopes of pastor and congregation realized a
glorious consummation.
The ceremony of dedication was elaborate
and lengthy. Cardinal Gibbons officiated and
was assisted by fifty priests Of this diocese and
several from other cities. Mgr. Satolli, the
papal delegate, celebrated mass. Bishop
Curtis, of Wilmington, DEL, preached the
morning sermon. In the evening the services
were concluded by yespers and an eloquent
sermon by Rev. DR.. d. J. Stafford, assistant
pastor of ST. Patrick's Church.
The ceremonies were in charge of Rev. j.
F. Mackin, pastor, and Revs. J. A. Foley and
nj. s. Gross, assistant pastors OF st. Paul's.
The cornerstone of the new church was
hid just year ago by Cardinal Gibbons.
The structure has frontage of seventy-fve
feet on Fifteenth street and depth of 150
feet on Y street. The architecture is Eng
lish-Gothic and the exterior walls are of
Maryland marble. From the northwest and
southwest rise towers OF stone twenty
feet square and 16O feet high. There are
three entrances for the public and q private
entrance in the northeast corner for the
priests.
In the interior and just above the vestibule
roof is the choir gallery. The Interior con-
sists OF q lofty arched circular nave and side
aisles. with a sanctuary 80 by 26 feet, In which
is located the main altar. Placed in slim cir
cular wings, 16 by feet, are two smaller
affairs. The height of the nave to the stucco
work is 56 feet and the width 35 feet. The
height OF tho side aisles is 81 feet. The side
aisles contain eleven Gothic windows, by
IA feet while surrounding the sanctuary and
high above the main altar are the sashes of
what will be
SEVEN SPECIALLY DESIGNED WINDOWS.
The church will have a comfortable seating
capacity of ,150. Arrangements have been
made to light the edilce with both gas and
electricity, but for the present only the former
viii be used The interior finish, including
the pews, is of quartered oak and the pews
have folding kneelers. T he cost OF the build
ing, exclusive of pews, has been $1,000. but
when completed Is expected the total cost
will reach 100000.
Long before the hour announced for the
opening of the dedicatory exercises. the large
edifice was crowded with the parishioners
and visitors. Even the aisles, except the CEN
ter, were occupied. Promptly at 10 O'Clock
the sacred procession, headed by score OF
red-gowned acolytes, each carrying lighted
taper with cross bearer and swinging CEN
ser, slowly emerged from the sacri5ty. Fol-
lowing the acoiytcs were the priests OF the
churches in the Washington diocese, fifty in
number. and Immediately behind these were
the eiIanters singingIhe Mfserere.
After the chanters came the deacon and
sub-deacon of the mass. They were sue
ceeded by the Right Rev. Bishop A. A. Curtis,
of Wilmington Dek. who preached the dedi-
catory sermon; the Right Rev. Bishop Keane,
chancellor of the Catholic University, and
Mgr. Sbaretti, Of the papal legation, each
with his attendants and train-bearers.
ARCHBISHOP sAToLM, THE PAPAL DELEGATE,
with his deaconsiothonor followed. Cardinal
Gibbons. attired i'm the magnificent scarlet
robes of his office, and carrying in his hands
the jeweled croziei, brought up the rear OF
the procession.
After passing down the center aisle the
long procession halted for few moments
and the cardinal recited a brief prayer, and
then the choir concluded the chant of the
Miserere. The march was again taken VI
and the procession Of prelates walked around
| the exterior walk, which the cardinal sprInkled
| with holy water. Re-entering the church by
| the Fifteenth street door and passing up the
/ center aisle to tho altar there was another
halt, during which the Litany Of the Saints
| was chanted by the cardinal. In this chant
! the name of st. Paul, the patron saint of the
/ church. occurs, and this was repeated three
! times by the cardinal, thus placing the sacred
! ediGce formally under the protection of tine
saint.
/ After this ceremony the procession re-
| formed and marched around the interior walls
which were also sprinkled with holy wateF
! This completed the ceremony of dedication
and the preates passed into the sacrisyy &c
prepare Tor the celebration OF tie mass.
In fifteen minutes the procession reformed
! and again came into the church, passed dowI
/ the north aisle. and came up the center into
| the sanctuary, where Archbishop atolli eel
ebrated solemn high mass. He was assisted
by Rev. Edmund Didier chaplain OF the Car
melite Convent, of Baltimore, as assistant
! Rev v F. Schmidt, pastor OF st. Joseph'
/ Church, of this city, as deacon. AID Rev. Ed
ward H. Dyer, professor at st. Mary's Semi
nary Baltimore. as sub-deacon. Besides thest
assistants the papa delegate was attended b,
two deacons of honor, Rev. Father Richards
] of Georgetown College, and Father Stephan
/ Cardinal Gibbons was attended by two dea
cons of honor Rev. Fathers Gloyd and Grif
/ fifth.
At the conclusion of the celebration OF mas
/ Bsnop Curtis occupied the pulpit to preacl
the dedicatory sermon. During its deliver.
! Cardinal Gibbons occupied a red throne on th
right side of the sanctuary, while the Arch
! bishop occupied purple throne on the lef
| side.
BISHOP CURTIS SERMON.
! The dedicatory sermon delivered by Bishop
Curtis was an eloquent discourse upon th
character of st. Paul. After speaking 0
| Paul's conversion he said:
"It must of necessity be that the person o
whom these things were related in so au
thentic a manner must have been though
either an impostor, or an enthusiast, or els
| he was deceived by the fraud of others ant
all that he said must be imputed to the powe
| of that deceit.
"But that he was not an impostor is showl
! by the act that he could have had no rationa
motives to undertake such an imposture, no
could he have possibly carried it on with an,
success by the means which he employed. Il
becoming q Christian st. Paul gave up man
things which seem to be necessary adjunct
of the life of worldly man. He gave up hi
! fortune, which he was then in a fair way o
advancing. He gave up that reputation
which he had acquired by the labors ant
studies of his whole life. He gave up hi
r..