The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-09-18
TOMB OF THE SAVIOR
Monastery of the Holy Land
Dedicated.
AN IMPRESSIVE SERVICE
Ono of the Most Remarkab Religious
Institutions in the Country A
Special Branch of the Fran
ciscan Order.

Washington, Sept. 17.-One of the
in the country, the monastery and col
lege of the Holy Land, established by
the Franciscan friars of the Holy Land,
was dedicated to-day with imposing
ceremonies, in which Cardinal Gibbons
Mgr. Martinelll, Bishop Blenk of Porto
Rico, Mgr. Stephan, head of Indian
missions in this country; Mgr Sbaretti,
auditor of the papal delegation in
Washington, and many other promi-
nent figures of the Catholic church
participated. During the afternoon a
flag raising gave a national and pa
triotic phase to this extensive under
taking. The institution is situated near
the Catholic university on an eminence
commanding a view of the beautiful
university grounds.
A special branch of the Franciscan
order for centuries has devoted its en-
tire attention to the preservation end
protection of the tomb of the Savior,
the stables of Bethlehem and other sa-
cred relics of the life of Christ. As
many Americans are joining the pill
grimages to the holy relics it has been
deemed advisable to establish in this
country a college which will prepare
those who will carry forward the work
of preservation, To this end a COM
missariat of the holy lands to the I'm
tied States was located in New York in
1880. and out of this has grown the
magnificent structure dedicated to-day.
The work has proceeded with The
special favor of the pope. One of the
grottos represents the inner and outer
sepulchre of Christ and piece of the
actual stone of the sepulchre brought
from Palestine by special dispensation.
The reproduction Of the stable at Beth
lehem is perfect in every detail, with
the small stone manager in which the
Christ child was born and the deface-
ment which modern vandalism mas
wrought.
In the reproduction of the holy sepul-
chre, both the outer sepulchre where
the angel sat and the inner sepulchre
from which the angel rolled back the
stone are shown. The inner tomb shows
the great marble slab placed there 10
keep the Turks from desecrating the
tomb and the slab bears even the ir-
regular crack of the original
The main work of the friars is car
ried on in the monastery, space separ-
ated from the shrines and chapels and
devoted to the members. On the lower
floor are cobbler shops, tailor shops,
laundries, etc, conducted by the friars,
who make everything needed for their
simple manner of living. The upper
Fart of the building IS used for living
quarters, each member of the commna-
ity having cell with the plainest and
simplest furnishings. 1t is considered
the most austere of the active orders.
The church connected with the mon
astery is a massive structure in the
shape of a five-fold cross, with many
affairs and chapels. The European
method has been adopted in the inter-
ior of the church so that those VINO
come to worship will stand or kneel as
there are no seats. The interior is 50
vast that it is possible to hold mass at
several affairs at the same time.
The order of exercises began to-day
with solemn dedication at 10 O'Clock this
morning. Cardinal Gibbons conducted
the ceremony. There was a procession
of several hundred members of the
clergy, religious students and friars. At
1920 pontifcal high mass was cole
brated by Mgr Martinelli. The sermon
was preached by Very Rev 7. F. keat-
hey, provincial of the Dominican order
of Columbus, Ohio At 3 O'Clock solemn
pontifcal masses were celebrated. At
4 o'clock the patriotic exercises closed
the days ceremony.
The Institution begins its work with
about so friars in attendance, most If
them from this country, although few
come direct from the holy land.