Los Angeles herald., 1907-08-04
FETE IN EARLY
STYLE is PLANNED
TO CELEBRATE FEAST WITH ODD
CEREMONIES
OIden Times viii Be Reproduced at
Church of Our Lady of Angels.
August is Is the
Date

Within the shadow of Los Angeles sky
scrapers there will be reproduced, on
August Is, bit of life as it was here
when the first church was built-as it
was before the gringo came.
At the feast of the Assumption the old
Plaza church will be the center of
retrospect into the customs of long ago.
Our Lady of Angels church has been
looked upon as the first church of Los
Angeles. Before it's erection, however,
a brush structure after The early custom,
was erected on what is now Also street
and the first services were held In it.
In 1914 the church was started, but was
retarded by the Mexican revolution break
ing out in 1920. In 1922 the present church
was dedicated by Father Boscana.
In those early days of Los Angeles the
primitive customs of the country were
coupled with the conveniences of the old
world. The costumes were much as those
worn in Spain, especially the southern
portion of the country. This is accounted
for by the large number of soldiers who
came to California from the south of
Spain.
Dresses Gaudy
The women wore fancy dresses, the
skirts generally of yellow, with white
waists and black bolero. The bolero was
usually trimmed with gold spangles. For
festive occasions the expensive and be-
witching mantilla was donned, but for
more common use the manton was used.
This was long strip of thin cloth, much
as worn by the Mexicans today.
The men were no less showily attired.
Those old-time costumes have attracted
wide attention in every Fiesta parade as
worn by the caballeros. The velvet and
To- no
at the ankles and showing bright silks,
the short jacket, bespangled, the high
sombrero went toward making the be-
witching caballero of the olden days.
But with the natives this fancy attire
did not exist in the very early and
primitive times when the padres first
came to this southland.
At the first church services "they came
as God made them" AS it was impossi-
BILE for the good priests to furnish gar
ments ready made for all the natives they
sent to Spain for a fabric known as In
diana, long strips of which they gave to
the Indians. After that they dared not
appear at the mission without being
wrapped from head to foot in this fab
ric.
For one day the old Plaza church will
go back to the olden days and on the
feast of the Assumption, the anniversary
of Its ded1catlOn, the OlQen IlIle COSTUMES
will be donned and the old Spanish dances
stepped with all their grace and beauty.
Flags Will FIutter
The Spanish, Mexican and American
flags, the three ruling forces of Califor-
MIA will be prominently displayed.
The observance of the day will open
with a religious service. A solemn mass
will be celebrated at 10 O'clock which will
foI1o T,Irn sell a salute
Rev. j. Caballeria will direct the festivi-
ties.
In the evening the outdoor fete will be
held in the patio of the church. The pro-
gram will be opened with the singing Of
'Preclaros," the Spanish hymn sung as
a salute to the Spanish flag when it was
unfurled in this country.
So for one day the Plaza, which has
seen so many changes, will go back to
the days when the pueblo was called La
Reina de Los Angeles de Portiuncula.
Out Of this high-sounding, musical
Spanish title has evolved, with the aid
of the Americanization of the country
the Los Angeles of today.
In the 126 years since first the title was
given to this fertile valley extending to
the sea, much of the old-time tradition
has been forgotten.
First the Portiuncula was dropped and
then the Queen of the Angels was
changed into plain Los Angeles, and so
we have it today.
In ITO the river was discovered on the
feast of Portiuncula and was given the
name of the feast celebrated on the day
it was discovered.
Until 1888, however there is no mention
in the early records of the pueblo La
Reina de Los Angeles de Portiuncula, it
having been known as an Indian rancho
until that year.