Evening star., 1901-12-25

emn procession through the grotto of Beth
lehem to the image of the infant Jesus in
the manger, the Franciscan monks of
Brookland ushered in Christmas day. From
10 o'clock at night onward a throng of wor-
shippers streamed from the car line termi-
nus in the village to the monastery on the
hill, and when the Christmas eve service
began at II o'clock there were assembled to
celebrate the festival with the monks con-
gregation that crowded the chapel to the
doors.
The concomtants of the services in the
monastery were unusually impressive. Low
light in the chapel and wealth of candles
on the altar heightened decidedly the &C.
clesiastical and mediaeval character of the
architecture. "A burst of light in the chan
eel emphasized the beauty of banks of flow
ers piled high at each side.
The music of the service and the high
mass which followed at midnight was per-
formed by choir of fifty well-trained male
voices But it was the procession to the
grotto which aWoke most ViVidly the fancy
of the laymen assembled to welcome Christ
mas day it was welcomed by <kessaonks
of 400 years ago. When the high mass
ended, Father Leonard, the superior, aid
the brown -habited monks of the cloisi ers,
led a long procession of worshipers about
the narrow corridors, lit with fickaring
candles, until they came upon the grOtto
of Bethlehem from the east This grOtto
is in the center of the building and Itself
centers on a reproduction of the mangsc in
which the shepherds found Jesus Of Naza-
reth. Last night the representation of the
Nativity was set upon high altar with
the mother and father leaning over the
child and an arch of lighted candles over
and back of the sacred group. Beyond the
altar were three evergreen trees arranged
to reflect the figures of the nativity and
two trees in each corner of the grotto. The
seats set up in the corridors at the east
ed about 800 persons. When as many as
possible had been stationed within sight of
the altar Father Leonard and the choir
took position in the east end of the grOtto
and a low mass was said. For over an hour
this gathering Worshiped under the low
arches of the Grotto of Bethlehem, assem-
bled reverently before representation of
the first Christmas and led by the sturdy
voices of half a hundred resolute, rough
gowned friars
Program at St. AIOysius.
A mass never before sung in America
marked the Christmas services at ST. Alloy
sius Church this morning. 1t was a ccm-
position by Emilio Pizzi, classmate of
Mascagni, and 1t embodied the rich orches-
trail and choral effects characteristic of the
new Italian school. 1t was performed with
the aid of a full orchestra and was heard
by Cardinal Martinelli who had previously
conducted the early morning The
music of the early service included Gounod' S
st Cecilia" and was also rendered by the
full church choir and an orchestra. Those
ferings of the day were: s. j. Kubel, direc-
tor; DIR. Anton Gloetzner, organist; Mrs.
Blanche Mattingly Rogers, soprano; Mrs
Margaret Nolan Martin, contralto; Mr..
Charles E. Myers, tenor; Mr.. James j.
Nolan, basso; Mr.. Sol Minister, conductor of
the orchestra.
Another New COmpOsitiOn.
Another new mass, I'm Honor of Our
Lady Of Good Counsel composed by Victor
Hammered of New York city, was sung at
ST. Mary's Catholic Church during the early
mass, which was celebrated at O. clock.
The choir included as sopranos, Mrs. Kitty
Thompson Berry, Miss Appolonia Miller and
Miss Ella NJ Soehnchen; as tenors, Messrs.
Aloysius s. Fennell and Lawrence j. Mills;
as bassos, Messrs. Frank A. Rebstock, j.
Frank White, Robert Paul and Henry p
Werres. The children Of the paroch: al
school sang the music for the 10 o'clock
| numbers will be rendered at the vesper
service
st. Patrick's Church.
Each of the four masses celebrated at St..
Patrick's included several exceptional musi-
cal numbers. The regular choir of the
church was augmented by a considerable
chorus, chosen from various sources, and
| included Mrs. Annie Grant Fugitt. soprano;
Miss Mamie Grant, contralto: Mr. Melville
| Hensey, tenor; Mr.. Charles Goodchild,
| basso; Mr.. Hermann Rakemann violin prin-
| cipale: Mr. Armand Gumprecht director
Haydn's Mass No. formed the basis of all
| four programs. Among the other notable
lselections was Adam Bucks postiude, 20.
Holy Night"
In Georgetown.
| In all of the Georgetown churches Christ
mas was celebrated in the usual manner
the services being weh attended in every