The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-06-05
The Apostolic Delegate in tile
Robes Of His High Office.
ELOQUENT SERMON
OF FATHER PARDON
A Vast Throng Stands Under the Blaz-
Ing Sun to Witness the Laying Of
the Cornerstone Of What Win
Be the Most Magnificent
Cathedral In the South.
Catholic Schools.

SdInOllC SCnOOlSs
Beneath tho full fisrce slare OF = suu-
mer sun, thousands Of people, many OF
them with heads bare, stood yesterday
for an hour while prelates high In the
councils Of the Church OF Rome placed
upon the foundations OF the great new
Cathedral OF Richmond the smooth white
stone. cut and wrought years ago IN the
Garden of Gethsemane in the Holy Land
The sight was such as Is rarely seen.
and the like Of 1t has never before been
known in Richmond. But for the intense
heat of the sun. which beat unrelentlngly
upon the unprotected heads OF those
gathered rounda bouts, the weather was
/ perfect; the attendance. as might be
imagined, was crushing; the service itself
was admirably arranged and admirably
executed without hitch or jar. The
evening closed with the long awaited
| event performed in a manner most
auspcious and most satisfactory to all.
Great Attendance
| Long before the hour fixed for the
opening OF the service people began TO
congregate about the foundations of the
| church. In the cool shade Of the trees of
Monroe Park many Of them sought refuge
from the blazing face Of the sun. but as
! many more braved the heat and stood.
j forth during long hour, awaiting the
arrival OF the clergy. AS many women
| were there as men, and almost as many
| children as women. The majority or
| them were Catholics, but the great crowd
| included in 1t many of other denomina-
/ tions. clerics and laics. Various estimates
| as to the size of the crowd have been
| made from 1000 to 10000. Half OF the
| latter number would probably cover the
| attendance, which was so scattered about
| as to defy attempts at approximation
/ of It's sZe. q
Shortly before 4 o'clock the party con.
| sisting Of the delegates. the bishops, and
| one or two others drove up In carriages
| and entered the residence OF Judge Is. Es.
witt. where the robed. A few moments
| later and one Of the finest OF the many
4 fine scenes OF the day was Witnessed.
! Down the wide stretch of Floyd avenue
from the Sacred Heart Church. some four
| or five squares distant, came the process
| sion of clergy and laity marching two
| by two along the sidewalk. From the dis
/ tance the sight was striking one. Per-
haps thousand men were IN line. and
! when the first OF them reached Cherry
! Street the end OF the procession was
tust Issuing from the church, four blocks
| away, The rear was broughtlup by about
! thirty priests in cassock and surpice, and
! about seventy-fve altar boys. robed In
| the same manner, some Of them with
| bright purple, which shone In the sun as
! they moved along. A cross-bearer bore
( tall silver crucifiS, which arose high above
| the heads of those surrounding 1t, and
two ocalytes carried lighted candles.
Picturesque Scene.
At the residence Of Judge witt the pro-
| cess!on halted and the line Of men divided,
| permitting the clergy and the altar boys
| 70 pass down the middle. During this cer-
| emony his Excellency, the apostolic DEL
| egate In his gorgeous robes. surrounded
| by bishops in their purple rochets, ap-
| peared In the door of the house. making
| most picturesque scene, When the last
| of the priests passed the little group,
| passed out and Joined the procession. The
/ men closed up again and brought up
| the rear.
Proceeding without further delay the
procession marched to the Cathedral and
the exercises began. Throughout 1t all
there was the same picturesgueness OF
effect, the same European flavor that
characterized the beginning. Twice the
! procession passed entirely around the
| foundations, the bishops attending His
| Excellency, and the little group MAKING
| up, as before. the Htlle PdtcH u tiSt.
| color that made the scene SO neauuiut
| from the distance. At one moment they
were gathered around great white cross
| erected where the main altar Is to be;
at another they were passing Slowly ainnR
7! the foundations, blessing them; at another
| they were back again under the canopy
| engaged with the stone. The great
| throng gathered around: the stately and
| picturesque assembly OF clergy and bish-
| ops. the green of the trees all abouti
| tfe bright sky overhead, made OF the
scene one the beauty OF Which can scarce
be reduced to words
One other striking fact should be noted
| In passing. Throughout the entire service
| there was present that thought or the
patriotic Catholic. the existence OF which
some men choose to deny On Wednes-
day evening the Stars and Stripes and the
| Papal flag wered raped over the eplsco-
nal throne, caught with the American
eagle, yesterday the trowel used In the
ceremony was decorated with ribbons OF
red white and blue, and the parchment
scroll placed In the stone was tied In the
same manner. English hymns We're sung;
the Governor of the State was present
and the Mayor of Richmond, In his elo-
uuent sermon the distinguished Jesuit
made reference to the same eyer-presens
thought. and spoke or the American nag,
showing wherein Catholics were ready 10
die for their country's good and wherein
thew stood for all those things that made
To the bettermant OF this great land.
The entire service was over In less
than an hour and half and tbs
crowd quickly broke up and departed.
Many tarried awhile to touch the stpne or
nerhaps .surreptttiouslyt 10 sHaich ain ifl78
Intestinal portion of IL which hung loose