Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1899-01-07
NINETEEN HUNDRED
Ushered in With Solemnity in
All the Catholic Churches
in the City. .

The beginning of the year 1900, the
closing year of the nineteenth century,
was celebrated with great solemnity in all
the Catholic churches in this city last
Sunday at midnight. When the bells
and whistles all over the city proclaimed
that the new year had come to life in the
sanctuaries of the different churches APP
peared the celebrants to offer up the most
solemn service in the Catholic church.
The fact that it is an unusual event and a
special privilege accorded by his Holt
ness Pope Leo III. caused the churches
to be filled to overlooking, and many
we're unable to obtain admission. Not
only Catholic worshipers were in attend
ance, but many Protestants joined the
throngs that assembled.
This unusual privilege was granted by
Pope Leo in honor of the jubilee year, or
the holy year as it is called. This was
commemorated in Rome by the Pope
opening the holy door in the basilica Of
St. Peters, which had been closed for
seventy-fve years. This jubilee year
occurs every twenty-five years, but in
1850 and 1875 wars and strife were rend.
ing Italy and these ceremonies were
omitted.
The holy door had been walled up
since 1925, but just before Christmas the
mortar had been loosened and the Pope
with a golden hammer struck the door
three times, causing it to move. The
bricks surrounding the door were dis
tributed as souvenirs among the congre
cation. The door will remain open for q
year, and on next Christmas will agair
be walled up to remain tor another quar-
ter of century.
3 eesesrstiese in ttllsie-eit.f+ se-s q
an elaborate scale. Special musical pro
grammes had been prepared in all thu
churches and the various choirs supple
mented by some of the best singers o
the city. At the Cathedral of the As
sumption the services were very beautiful
and the music of high order. Tn
altar was blaze of light and many per
sons could not get within the edi6ce. A
st. Louis Bertrand the Christmas decora
tons we're still up and the white marbl
altar with its myriad of lights looke'
simply beautiful. Solemn high mass wa
sung, the celebrant being Father Pulinkx
AT St. Charles Borromeo's the interes
was intensified by the fact that Fathe
Tierney, who is visiting his brother
Thomas Tierney, spoke TO the people
many of whom knew him before he ha
taken the orders. At Sacred Heart, 81
! Johns, St. Mary Magdalen and the othe
churches the services were as impressiv
' as possible, the churches being beaut
fully decorated and many acolytes in til
: sanctuaries.
j Many years ago it was the custom
celebrate midnight mass on Christina
eve, in commemoration of the birth {
: Christ, but there were number of reve
e ers on the streets at that hour who woul
e take advantage of their inebriated cond
ton to disturb the worshipers. On az
n count of this abuse the midnight MAJ
y was discontinued, and the one last SUI
:. day is the hrst IN years.
q At the church of st. Francis Of Rom
n in Clifton the services were equally
g brilliant and Impressive as those of Il
Is large congregations. Miss Nellie Ha
non presided at the organ in her usu
e efficient way, and the music and singir
Al of the choir was particularly gram
especially the solo by Peter Helm. Re
1t Father White in an exceedingly fine Sc
s. mon delivered his best wishes in his ow
Is eloquent way.
In some of the cities in the East it W
1t deemed advisable not to have il this yea
d but generally through the West it W
1t offered. St. Louis reports large crow
in attendance and everything on a ma
L nifcent scale.
/