Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-09-02

N/VHt\WsN> created much curios-
ity and comment,
and it is the object of hundreds of visits
weekly from residents and strangers
for miles around. 1t is immense build
ing, whose yellow dome can be seen rising
against the sky long distance off. The
situation is on the old McCeney estate at
the head of Philadelphia street, on an emf
hence which has been named Mount st.
Sepulcher, the surrounding grounds cover
ing forty-four acres. whose undulations
make the site an ideal one for monastery.
To add to its natural beauties avenues of
young trees have been set out around the
building, while other improvements in the
landscape are being made.
Early in September the Commissariat of
the Holy Land, now located at lab West
both street, in New York, will occupy this
building. The work is progressing as rap
idly as possible, so that everything will be
IN readiness by that time. The fresco ar
fist is daily reducing his scaffolding used
Tor the wall and ceiling decorations Of the
chapel. Already the rooms of the monas-
terry are furnished with their plain, neces-
sary articles. The ornamentors of the I'M
foreground shrines fastening with their
part, and everything tends toward an early
completion. The large force of workmen
who are kept busy from Z o'clock in the
morning until o'clock in the evening give
assurance that nothing will prevent the
New York commissariat from taking pos
session at the appointed time this month.
Sunday, September II, the College and
CommisSariat of the Holy Land will be
dedicated. on which occasion hundreds per-
haps thousands. will participate and wit
ness the first ceremony of its kind in this
country. The dedicatory ceremony will be
under the supervision of the Catholic
Knights of Columbus of this CITY Extern
siVe and elaborate arrangements are being
made, but as yet all preparations have not
been completed. A large number of visit
ma # ha
clergy, Will participate in the ceremony
among these are expected his emnence
James Cardinal Gibbons, archbishop of Bal
tlmore; the most Rev. John ]. keane tit
ulary archbishop of Damascus. and Mgr
Sebastian Martnelli, the apostolic delegate
TO the United States. Many of the Knights
OF Columbus from other cities will also be
present, 50 that tho sitting guests will
number high in the n .ireds. Rev Father
Godfrey, from the comm ssarat in New
YORK is now in the city. busily making ar
fangementS for this ausDicious occasion
Many Of the faculty of the Catholic Uni
Verslty will also be in attendance.
Dedicatory Service.
The ceremony will begin at 8 o'clock in
the morning with the dedication, which will
be followed by solemn high mass It is ex-
pected that Mgr. MartnelIi will officiate at
this mass. assisted by high church officials
among the visiting and local clergy The
spacious church of the monastery will bt,
deliberately decorated on this occasion with
palms and flowers, while special music will
be furnished by a good choir In the even
ing the Vesper service will close the Ger
elnony for the day. After the dedication
tn" church will be opened for services, to
which the public * cordially invited
Every precautiOn has been taken nv the
local Knights of Columbus to see that the
guests shall have every attention and that
an preparations shall be properly made.
For this purpose Chairman George Menke
appointed the following committees at a
recent meeting of the local organization:
observation-disclosures II. Ogie and Vincent
A Sheehy.
observation-disclosures H. Huneke and
William r. Montgomery.
Flag-Dr. A. S. Wilkerson and John E.
McNally.
Public comfort-Michael Kinslow and Ed
ward ]. Maloy.
Music-Joseph b. Wilson
Reception-George w. Cook and Robert
e Doyle.
Acolytes and ushers-Thomas K. Gala
Der and II. Ambrose Marsden.
Guards of honor-P. ]. Haltgan and JOS
3. Enright.
MISREPRESENTATION B. Daily and p. +
Donovan. -
Refreshments~ohn Ebert and Daniel
Hannah.
Collection-C L. Wagner and C,b,r,o. d
Roirden. " 49,
Press-Henry NJ. Beade and Livingston
J. Cullen.
The city authorities are also looking after
these exercises. A large corps of work
men are buSy repairing Philadelphia
street, which leads directly to the lnonas-
terry. This is being properly graded gray
eled and rolled 50 as to he in good condi
ton for vehicles and pedestrians rho i'm
of the month
Matters Undetermined.
Exactly who all of the officiating clergy
Will be has not yet been decided; nor is it
yet known who will be the orator of the
day These matters Will not be known for
several days. In the meantime the several
committees are looking after the various
arrangements. and everything tends to-
ward an elaborate and unusual occasion
BY the date of the dedication the Com
mlSsariat OF the Holy Land in New York
Will be firmly established in its new home
Aire1dy few of the rooms of the monas-
terry are being occupied one having been
fitted up for a chapel for daily prayers
The sleeping apartments contain small
bed, wardrobe. a table and a chair and oc-
easionaiiy a small mat covers the cement
floor before the bed. Father Godfrey who is
at the head Of the New York house. wiz con-
tinua in charge at Mt. ST. Sepulcher at
Washington. Already there have been
number of applicants for the monastery SO
that the outlook is that there will be a
large opening attendance After the dedi-
ca'l"f the monastery proper will be
closed to the public. but'the Church and
shrlres Will always be open to visitors.
When completed the edifice will look to-
ward the rising run, and the church will
be In the rear; although, on account of the
public road terminating at the entrance to
the church, appearances oare against this
situation.
The MOnastery.
The edifice might well be divided into
two parts, the monastery and the church,
both connected by archways Sand DOORS
yet each separate in itself The monas-
terry Is 20 feet square, with a central court
ITO feet square, two stories high with a
basement. Spacious open corridors over
look the court which has well of cistern
water in the center, surrounded by a lawn
dotted with flowers and shrubbery. The
north side of the basement is devoted to
the laundry and similar departments, the
cast side TO the kitchen and the south side
to work shops where lay students may
learn such trades as carpentry, masonry
shoen.aking, tailoring and the like. The
west side of this foor" connects with the
underground passages to the grottoes or
shrines
On the south side of the first floor are the
offices of the Commissariat and American
College for Missionaries in the Holy Land
The east end is taken up for the most
part by two large dining rooms one for
the lay students and the other for the
monks. The remainder of this floor cont
DriSCS study and class rooms and Siepnfcy