Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1906-12-08
ANNIVERSARY
OF SODALITY
St. Peters Cathedral the
Scene of Brilliant Religious
Festival To-day
APOSTOLIC DELEGATE HERE

Never in the history Of the Whining
ton Diocese of the Roman Catholic
Church has any event attracted as
much attention. being carried through
with more elaborate or impressive cere-
monies or caused to gather together at
one time in this city the large number
of celebrated church dignataIies as did
the celebration this morning at St.
Peters Cathedral of the fortieth anni-
versary of the founding of the Sodal-
ity of the Children Of Mary. The occa-
sion will undoubtedly be long remem-
bered by those who were fortunate
enough to witness the gorgeous spec
tacle. and to-day will be referred to as
one of the most notable in the history
Of the Cathedral.
To the members Of the sodality, the
golden Jubilee Of which is being cele-
brated, the ceremonies were indee I
most solemn and there is not one per-
son who attended who will not be de-
lighted to recount the events Of the
day.
A Gorgeous Display.
All the gorgeous display so charac-
teristic Of the Roman Catholic Church
was given full sway and the prelates.
including the apostolic delegate, a
bishop. a vicar-general and numerous
other dignitaries besides many priests
from far and near presented a striking
spectacle as they. clad in the magnif-
cent vestments 70 gold cloth took their
respective places in the sanctuary
Long before $40 O'Clock. the appointed
time for the services to begin people
from every parish were pouring into
the church and by the time the prelates
filed into the sanctuary every seat was
occupied. The centre Of the church vas
reserved for the members Of the Chill
dren OF Mary Sodality. They formed
in a procession in the orphanage at
Sixth and West streets. and marched
from there to the Cathedral. Each wore
the badge of the order, and at their
head was their beautiful silk banner OF
the Immaculate Conception.
The altar IN st. Peters was hand
somely decorated with palms and cut
flowers. The magnificent new statue of
the Immaculate Conception was sur
rounded with flowers of all kinds. and
when at the conservation during the
mass all the electric lights in the main
body Of the church were lighted the
whole scene presented one Of the most
striking ever witnessed in this city.
Delegate Leads Procession.
Promptly at $50 o'clock the acolytes
with the deacons OF the mass. the dea-
cons Of honor and the choir filed from
the sacristy down the centre Of the
church to the parochial residence
where they were met and conducted tc
the sanctuary by the apostolic delegate
the Most Rev. Diomede Falconio. with
his attendants, Rt. Rev. John J. Mona
CHAN, bishop of the Wilmington diocese
with his attendants and the other
priests. With the Salesian Fathers
chanting the "Ecce Sacerdos." the pro-
cession moved to the altar. Monsignol
Falconi ascended the large throne or
the right and Bishop Monaghan ascend.
ed a throne on the left side, prepared
especially for the occasion.
Bishop Monaghan was attended BY
Very Rev. John A. Lyons, vicar genera
of the diocese. and pastor Of the Ca.
thedral, and Father Jacques, head ol
the Salesian Fathers in this city. Tn,
apostolic delegate, who was the csle.
brant at the Solemn Pontifical Hie2
Mass that followed was attended b,
Rev. Frank Connolly as deacon OF tn,
mass. The deacons of honor who at.
tended the celebrant were Rev DR.
Brann, of New York, and Rev. p. ]
Conroy.
Continued on Second Page.)