Los Angeles herald., 1906-08-16
PADRES HIGHWAY
IS REDEDICATED
EL GAMING REAL IS SCENE OF
NOTABLE CEREMONY
Crowds Flock to Plaza Church to see
impressive emonies--hIistorie
Accessories Are Used--oId
Scenes Recalled

yesterday a. few padres, with a hand
ful of Indians, entered what is now
the city of Los Angeles and solemnly
established the pueblo La Reina de
Los Angeles.
Yesterday the road the padres trav-
eled was as solemnly re-dedicated ana
blessed in memory Of the pioneers and
Ell Canine Real became an established
fact and no longer somewhat mythic-
al highway from one end OF the state
to the other.
ON that other day when the hills
that are now covered with houses were
bare the Franciscan monks were sur
rounded by a few of their mission In
dams and Mexicans and many 10
whom the ceremony was unintelligible.
on that day prayers were chanted for
the welfare of the city, which was
promised to be in honor Of the Virgin
mother, the queen of the Angels.
Again yesterday were the prayers OF
the church offered for the welfare and
greater honor of La Reina de Los An
geles now a magnificent metropolitan
city and especially for Ell Canine Real
in commemoration of those who have
gone before.
Crowds Tax Capacity
Crowds that taxed the limits of the
church yard gathered to witness the
ceremonies. Again were the priests
surrounded by a reminder of the early
DAYS by the children who were ,attired
in old time dress to represent. the early
days.
Boys in Indian attire, with waving
feathers and girls dressed to represent
Indian bellies formed part of the pro-
cession. Columbus was not forgotten
and headed the procession, the char
acter being taken by one of the boys
of the parish who was robed in kingly
garments with a crown. Marching by
his side was General Antonio Aguilar,
representing the old time Mexican SOL
dier, and carrying the Mexican flag
and young man attired as an Ameri-
can soldier, with the Stars and Stripes,
the three representing the history Of
this southland from the discovery to
the present day.
Plaza Church Filled
The celebration commenced at 10
o'clock in the plaza church, with a
solemn mass celebrated by Rev. Juan
Caballeria. Long before. the appointed
time the old church was filled by wor-
shippers and late comers had to satisfy
themselves with but glimpse into
the historic old church.
For the services the affairs had beer
elaborately decorated, blue and white,
the colors of the feast day, being ex-
tensively used. Hundreds of candles,
in silver and gold candelabra that were
brought to California from Spain by
the early padres, were used on the al
tars and lent a shimme1ng brightness
to the scenes as the priests, clad in
vestments. of cloth of gold. also gifts
from the old country in the early days,
moved about in the service.
A special musical program was rem
dered. Rosewich's mass in c being
given by "a choir. Father Caballeria,
who has been one of the most active
workers in the celebration. preached a
short sermon. after which the brightly
clad children, cross bearer and priests
formed a procession that wended its
way through the aisle of the old church
looking toward the Plaza and emerged
into the bright sunlight.
Dazzling coIors
When old SOILS rays struck the bright
colors and golden vestments it made
a dazzling scene as the priests walked
under canopy of the same simmer
ing material.
From the church door to the entrance
to the grounds the procession went sur
rounded on both sides by an eager
crowd, which was augmented by pass
ing people and those from the Plaza
park. Through the palm shaded walk
the procession passed around to the
shaded porch of the parochial resi-
dence and thence to the ground where
the first mission bell guide post of FL
Canine Real was to be erected with
solemn services.
Under a spreading palm tree was
placed the old bench carved by In
dians of the early mission day, which
was placed there for the convenience
of the maderinos and paderinos. Near
this was a small piano which was
brought to this country in the early
days, and the stands for the records.
Before these the priests took up their
positions and the service of re-dedi-
cation commenced
The old piano did its best to help in
the services and gave forth strained
notes and dying In a muffled sound, as
1t seemed to realize its failure to make
itself heard in the vast throng. The
plano was assisted by a violin and
the church choir sang the dedicatory
hymns.
Hymn After Hymn
AS hymn after hymn was sung, a
sweet soprano alternating with the
tenor. every one seemed to be pos
sessed with the one idea of getting a
view of the ceremonies, and people
yard, and also on wagons on the out
side
Finally. after much waiting on the
part of those who were on the outside
of the crowd. the mission bell was
slowly lifted and set in its place, amid
the singing of America" cheering, the
salute Of a small cannon and the chin
ing Of the church bells. The old piano
again did its best in this part of the
ceremony, and seemingly content with
the attempt, again passed into oblivion
The very fence seemed to want to
honor the occasion and commenced to
creak ominously. and as the last
strains were dying away into the dis
tance of the blue hills on one side and
Chinatown on the other a number of
heavily laden parts of the fence gave
way, precipitating their burden to the
sidewalk.
To see this part of the ceremony,
several Mexican women, with the old
time headdress. mounted the foot Of
the large cross which stands year in
and year out pointing upward, and
looked'for all the world like an old-time
painting of the fisher wives mounting
the foot of the cross TO watch for the
return of their loved ones in a storm
at sea.
Sign the Register
After the ceremony of signing the