Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-12-25
SACRED RVICES
Impressive Celebration of Christmas
in the Churches.
GLAD fHROAHS BURST IN SONG
Magnificent Music and Powerful
and Timely Sermons.
LARGE CONGREGATIONS

i. And on earth, peace, good will to men. -
And she shall bring forth Son, and thou
shalt call His name Jesus, for He shall save
His people from their sins.
And when they were come into tine
house, they saw the young Child with Mary
His mother, and fell down and worsbipped
Him; ard when they had opened their treas
u1es, they presented unto Him gifts, gold
and frankincense and myrrh.'
So runs the story of almost twenty CEN
turtles ago. 1t was repeated today in very
many of the local churches beautified, If
such beautifully told story could be- by
the soaring voices of sweet singers as they
told in song how the shepherds watched
their fiocks by night and the wise men
watched the star; and 10, the star which
they saw in the east. went before them till
1t came and stood over where the young
child was.
Early Services Well Attended.
Special services appropriate to Christmas
day We're held in all the Catholic and Epis-
copal churches, and in many Of the churches
of other denominations. AS a rule, the con-
gregations were of large dimensions, and
filed with the sweet spirit of the day In
many churches early services were held
and even these were well attended At the
various Catholic churches there was early
mass, that drew large crowds of worship
pers, who afterward went home to the en-
1oyment OF the family breakfast feeling
tEat they had started the day Alright.
Magnificent Music the Rule.
But the II o'clock services proved even
more popular. and for these the most elab-
crate musical programs had been arranged.
From 1870 until IL o'clock the streets were
ia fvQ1 ruyffh
Connecticut avenues being particularly gay
AS the pedestrians passed each other they
exchanged merry Christmas greetings and
occasionally friends stopped long enough to
say few pleasant words and to tell how
Santa Claus had treated them at their house
survey OF a number of the different
churches this morning showed that as a
rule they had been handsomely decorated
for the occasion and all were well filled.
Scenes Mt Various Churches.
At ST. Matthew'S on Rhode Island avenue
rear Connecticut avenue, the church is too
rev and the interior rather bare to lend it.
self we'll to decoration, but the chancel and
altar were made gorgeous with hundreds of
,ighted candles. while palms were set about
in most effective manner. High mass was
celebrated at o'clock and solemn high mass
at IL o'clock, and both services drew large
crowds of the faithful
IL
the chancel was particularly attractive The
pillars on either side were twined with
Christmas greens. the altar was covered
with profusion of cut flowers and the gal
leries were hung with greens. Holy COM
munion, with carols, was celebrated at 7:30
o'clock and at the morning prayer with
sermon and the holy communion at II
O'Clock The little church was crowded to
its fullest extent.
At the Church of the Epiphany, on G
street. there was another large congrega-
ton. and the service was a most impressive
and beautiful one. The ornamental grill
which incloses the chancel was all hung
with greens, the altar was taStefulIy dec
Grated and the stills of the memorial win
dows. one on the east and one on the west
side of the church. were banked up solidly
with flowers.
Brilliant Spectacle.
One Of the largest congregation of the
day filled st. Patr.ck's Church, on 10th
street, which was only recently so beauti-
fully decorated within, and the spectacle
during the high mass, which began at 10
O'Clock, was an extremely brilliant one.
There will also be solemn high mass at 5
O'Clock this Afternoon.
Other Impressive Services.
At ST. Aloysius' Church solemn high mass
was celebrated at ) o'clock by Rev. Alloy
sius BrosEan, S. j.. with Rev. Father
O'Connell, S. j., as deacon, and Rev. Mr..
Coyle, S. j.. es subdeacon. Solemn high
pontificial mass was celebration at IL
o'clock by his eminence Cardinal Satolli
The officers of the mass were: Archpriest
Rev. C. Gillespie, S. j.; deacons of honor,
Rev. M. c. Dolan.s S. j.. and Rev. A. r.
Peters, S. j.; deacon of the mass, Rev. p
]. Mckinney, S. j.: subde aeon, Rev. Mr..
Scott. S. j.; master of ceremonies Mr..
O'Gorman, S. ]. The sermon was delivered
| by Rev. Aloysius Brosnan. 8. J. After the
mass there was benediction of the most
blessed sacrament. The choir rendered the
| new mass, Messe Solennelle. in d. by Prof.
| F. Fanciuli, director of the Marine Band.
| This mass is dedicated to Cardinal Satolli
At the Church of the Holy Name of
Jesus, corner 18th and K streets northeast,
Rev. Thomas ]. Kervick, pastor, there was
| solemn high mass at 5 o'clock: celebrant,
Rev. Father Fitzgerald; deacon, Rev.
! Father Kervick; subdeacon, Rev Mr.. Rose,
| S. j. There were low masses at Z, s, 8 and
| late mass at 10 o'clock, and mass will also
| be celebrated at o'clock.
| At the Episcopal Church of ST. Michael
and All Angels, corner Odd and F
| streets, Rev. c. w. Bispham, rector, the
| Christmas season was opened with a full
| choral midnight communion service on
Christmas eve, professional forming at
| II 30 pm.