New-York tribune., 1910-07-18
AIMS NOVENA BEGUN
Mass of Humanity in Church
Seeking Cure of Their Ills.
KISS RELIC OF THE SAINT
Many Children, Some Sightless,
Some Lame, in Arms of
Mothers in Kneeling Line.


Thousands who seek every year the
'favors'' of ST. Ann through veneration of
her relic at the Church of st. Jean Baptiste
began Yesterday the novena. or nine days
of PRAYER in preparation for the feast OF
St Ann OF Tuesday, July IS Early IN the
afternoon the vanguard of the annual pill
gr1mage began filling the lower church, and
during the recitation Of the rosary ana
thereafter until supper time the Tor-
shippers were three deep before the saints
shrine waiting their turn at the rail- while
the centre aisle was solid mass OF
humanity. moving forward with the slow
ness Of glacier
Many q cure Of sightless ere or shTunken
limb has been attributed 10 The reiic Of the
saint These cures the priests Of the Order
Of the Blessed Sacrament, who MAINTAIN
the church. always speak Of as faVors
obtained from God through the intercession
oe ST. Ann To obtain them the relic, which
Is : portion Of one of the saints wrist
bones. wrapped in silk and inclosed IN
round case Of glass and silver is applied to
the aiIfng members og the faithful suppl
cant. who kneels before the shrine in the
basement Of the church.
Most Of those who sought the intercession
Young girls who looked whole and hearty
enough But here and there among the
Ineeling ones werc the af7icted-some Of
them children brought there by their
mothers some sightless. some hump
backed and some lame
The priest. into7ing the recitation Of the
rosary. PASSED from one TO the other II
the kneeling line. put the relic TO their lips
10 be kissed and then touched gently with
Il those parts Of the body indicated by the
u;l-rirn In the case Of the we'll and
strong he pressed 1t to their cheeks and
forehead. and after every application he
wiped It on a cloth which be held in his
other hand
On every day Of the year these appilca-
-fors arc made at 40 O'Clock in the after
room and at $50 in the evening But during
tho novena which IS observed annually by
this church the applications are MADE daiiz'
EXCEPT Sundays. from 3 O'Clock IN t's
morning continuously until $50 O'Clock al
night. on Sundays the relic is applied be
tween services
Tho 7riests sav that more "favors" are
obtained during the novena than at otheI
.i,-,ae because Of the greater devotion dis
PLAYED Every year during these nine
49, Of praveg. cures of a miraculous nat
md the blind and the faithful who are
..,f+.,o- f,ocl. 70 The shrine in ever increas-
ing multitUdes
Thousands May Miss Relic
r-,5e first DAYS Of the novena each seeker
nav obtain an application Of the rehc- oul
:, the last DAYS the crowds IN front OF TIE
,,,t, hacking 18th street and overf1owlng
5,-o Third avenue and Lexington avenue
ara so dense that thousands have 10 Dc
.,,,-,ea AWAY The disappointed ones come
.be next year and the next, If they hFe'
until they accomplish their purpose
Many who are not Catholics are to De
found among those who seek the IaNot9
Of the saint The priests minister 10 De
lever and unbeliever alike. rive years
ago. they say. when the greatest Tecoi
= a,,-os -v-ss made. many OF the 'favors
vent 10 Protestants and even TO Jews III
.,e ,,oveua Of that year some fifty pill
,rirns departed on their way rejoicing 10
te.- witness before the world 10 the ef1-
cat.v Of the relic
~. .to tight of the shrine in large rack
<.-+o,ed 10 the wall Of the church are a
--,-e,,sas mass of crutches, braces. sticks
- ,,ardages. mute testimonials or the ei-
- IF the relic IN the past The priests
80 received these from the Srateful sup
-,I,r-,pts whose Affections have been cured
nd who come back. it may be in day OF
two. OF perhaps not until the novena OF the
,,a,+ wear to kiss the relic IN gratitude anu
devotion I'll,
ts,,erv day during the novena masses VIII
,,o said in the upper church At s, $50, ana
O'Clock in the morning. Al $50 O'Clock on
,rool, davs and at O'Clock on Sundays
mass of the uovens win be said at the
shrine Of 81 Ann. followed by Instructor
(s,,ndav excepted and the prayers OF the
rloveua-
IN the afternoons during the novena fhe
,,,.,tr,r- exercises viii be held every day;
srs n m. recitation OF the rosary. fol-
,,g-ad bv the benediction Of the blessed
sacrament in the upper church; p. m IN
,,~,,--tou II the shrine Of s. Ann followed
-. 80 nravers Of the novena, and at $50
neuediction or the blessed sacrament.
The panegyric Of 81. Ann viii be preached
m on July 2s the day Of the feast.