The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-04-13
CEREMONIES ARE
 VERY IMPRESSIVE

| The most elaborate ceremonies ever>wit- messed in St. Paul's church were per- formed yesterday when the Rt Rev. b. P. Allen, bishop of Mobile, assisted by a number of the local clergy, consecrated the high altar according to the ancient method prescribed Tn the Romen political. The services were to have begun at 1 e:30 o'clock but the train on which the bishop arrived was delayed and it was l 7.30 when the right reverend celebrant
 in rich canonical vestments, entered the sanctuary The ceremonies, including the mass, lasted three hours. They were slngularly impressive from beginning to end
 Those taking part were: celebrans, Rt Rev. Edward P Allen' D. D.
 Diaconus primus, Rev. Father Bone face, o. s. B.
 Diaconus secundus, Rev. Father | Charles, O. s. B.
 Sub-diaconus, Rev. Father Richards, o. S. E.
 Cruclferarus, Rev. Father Denis. | Thuriferarius primus, Rev Father Kit rick
 | SCNOHNOof iNSff SNAtSA 1 Bratton.
 Acolythi, Rev. Father Doyle and Rev. Father O'Grady.
 Magister ceremonarum prfmus, Rev. | Father Stahl.
 Magister ceremonarum seeundus, Rev. Father Coyle.
 Cantores, Rev. Father Duffy, Rev. Fa- | ther I<lich, Rev Father o Brien, Rev. Father Cantpa, Rev. Father Prendergast and Rev. Father Kelly.
 The altar being denuded the bishop be- gan by reciting the seven penitential Psalms. He then blessed water, then salt, then wood ashes, and then wine. These he mingled together in large vessel and walking seven times round the altar sprinkled it with the sacred mixture.
 The bishop anointed the top of the table of the altar with the oil of catechumens and also with holy chrism. He next pro- ceeded to incense the altar, after which he anointed the entire altar table with the two oils mingled together.
 At this point a procession, including the bishop, assisting clergy, torch bearers and other altar boys, was formed and with deep solemnity the relics to be placed in the altar were borne from a side altar to the high altar being consecrated. The relics, with due attestahon, were placed in a small cavity in the top of the mar ble table called the sepulchre. They were sealed with cement that had been blessed.
 The relecs were those of three early Christian martyrs-Saint Placidus, Saint Theodorus and Saint Tarsicius. Placidus was the first martyr of the Benedictine order and the second desciple of Saint Benedict. He was sent by that saint to establish the order in >icly and while engaged In that work was martyred by some barbarians who invaded the country and put Placidus and thirty monks to a lingering death Theodore was a Christian soldier of the Roman army He set on fire the temple of Isis and made no secret of the fact. When urged amid torture to renounce Christ he made the sign of the cross and answered, AS long as I have breath I will confess His name" He was burned 10 death in the early part of the fourth century.
 Tarsicius was youth who was sent to carry holy communion to the Christians in prison. As he was carrying the sacred host through the street ne was beset by a crowd of pagans who vainly tried to He folded his hands over his breast and died rather than unclasp them and so expose our Lord to proclamation. Cardinal Wiseman describes this scene beautifully in Fabiola, chapter 22.
 The relics being deposited. four wax tapers were lighted and twenty-five grains of incense were burned. With the ashes of the grains the altar was again sprinlxled and was then washed by as- sisting ministers and rubbed with towels.
 The bishop was then vested for mass. It was q mssa, commonly called low mass. Just before beginning the cele- bration the bishop covered the tahle of the altar with three linen cloths and placed flowers on the re-table supra altar.
 The altar is of white Carrara marble. It is artistically carved and Is regarded as one of the handsomest altars in the south.