Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1899-09-18
TT PREPARES MEN TO GUARD THE
TOMB OF CHRIST.
WAS DEDICATED YESTERDAY
ESTABLISHED IN WASHINGTON BY
FRANCISCAN FRIARs.
SpeciaI Branch of the Order Has for
Centuries Devoted Itself to Guard
ing Christ's Tomb and the
Stable in Which He
Wns Born.

WASHINGTON, Sept. T.-One Of the
most remarkable religious institutions in
the country the monastery and college of
the Holy Land, established by the Fran
cscan friars of the Holy Land was dedl-
Gated to-day with imposing ceremonies, in
which Cardinal Gibbons. Monsisnor Marti-
nelli. Bishop Blenk, Of Porto Rico; Mon
sgnor Stephan, head of the Indian mis-
sions in this country: Monsignor Sbaretti,
auditor of the papal delegation in WASH
ington, and many other prominent figures
of the Catholic church, participated. Dur
ing the afternoon a flag-raising gave ma
tional and patriotic phase to the extensive
undertaking. The institution is situated
near the Catholic university ON an emf
nence commanding a view of the beautiful
university grounds.
A special branch of the Franciscan Or
der for centuries has devoted its entire at
tention to the preservation and protection
of the tomb of the Savior, the stables of
Bethlehem and other sacred relics of the
life of Christ. AS many Americans are
joining the pilgrimages to the holy relics,
it has been deemed advisable to establish
in this country college which will pre-
pare those who will carry forward the
work of preservation. To this end COM
missariat of the Holy Land for the United
States was located in New York in 1880.
and out of this has grown the magnificent
structure dedicated to-day, with its sub
terranean reproductions Of the stable at
Bethlehem, the home Of the holy family
at Nazareth, the holy sepulcher and other
monuments of Palestine.
These have been executed under the di-
rection of the foremost ecclesiastical archi-
tect of Rome, Sr. Lianori. who visited
Bethlehem, Nazareth and other sacred
spots, making measurements and taking
note of stone and structure In order to
make faithful counterpart of the precious
relics. The work has proceeded with the
special favor of the pope. One of the grot-
toes representing the inner and outer
sepulcher of Christ has u piece of actual
stone of the sepulcher, brought from Pal
estine by special dispensation. At another
of the substerranean shrines the remains
of st. Bened!gas will be deposited. They
are being brought here by one of the friars
of the ORDER and will find a final resting
place in a glass catafalque after the man
ner adopted in Europe to permit the OBJ
servation of holy relics.
The reproduction of the stable at Beth
lehem is perfect in every detail, with the
small stone manger in which the Christ
child was born, and the DETACHMENT which
modern vandalism has wrought. In the
| reproduction of the holy sepulcher, both
and the inner sepulcber, from which the
angel rolled back the stone, are shown.
| The inner tomb shows the great marble
| slab placed there to keep the Turks from
desecrating the tomb, and the slab bears
even the irregular crack of the original.
The main work of the friars is carried
/ on in the monastery, a spacious building
| separated from the shrines and chapel and
| devoted entirely to the members OF the
| community. On the lower floor are cob
| blers' shops, tailor shops, laundries, ETC.,
| conducted by the friars. who make every
| thing needful for their simple and austere
manner of living. The habit is of course
brown material, with rope girdle, and the
| bare feet are protected by sandals. The
| upper part of the building is used for liv-
| ing quarters, each member of the com.
| munity having a cell, with the plainest and
simplest furnishings. 1t is considered the
most austere of the active orders.
The church connected with the monastery
| Is a massive structure, In the shape of
| a tive-fold cross, with many altars and
| chapels. The European method has been
| adopted in the interior of the church, so
| that those who come to worship will stand
or kneel. as there are no seats. The in
terror is SO vast that 1t is expected to cele-
brate mass at several of the altars, or at
all of them. simultaneously, and the de-
votion of the sacrament will be practically
continuous up to midday
| The order of exercises began to-day with
solemn dedication at 10 o'clock this morn
mony. There was procession of several
| hundred members Of the clergy. religious
students and friars. At 1880 pontifical high
| mass was celebrated by the Most Rev. s.
Martinelli the apostolic delegate to the
| United States. The sermon was preached
| by the Very Rev. L. F. Kearney, provin-
cial of the Dominican Order. of Columbus,
o. At 8 o'clock solemn pontifical vespers
| were celebrated In the Alverno chapel. At
4 o'clock the patriotic exercises closed the
| days ceremony
The institution begins its work with about
! fifty friars in attendance, most of them
! from this country although q few come d.
rect from the Holy Land. The purpose of
| the college is set forth as follows in the
| prospectus:
"The establishment of the college will re-
| vive in our American youth the spirit of
| the crusaders. for 1t will afford them an
opportunity of embracing religious life and
of cutivating higher studies at the uni
versity with the noble aim Of serving as
missionaries in the country of Christ of
! standing guard at His holy tomb, and of