Las Vegas optic., 1913-02-05
CATHOLIC CHURCH
TO CELEBRATE
nine MONTHS
SIXTEENTH CENTENARY OF Es
TABLIsHMENT OF CHRISTIAN
lTY BY CONSTANTINE

New York, Feb. 5.-Beginning in the
middle Of March and extending to
the festival Of the Immaculate Con-
ception, December 8, the Catholic
church will have a continual series
Of ceremonies in commemoration of the
sixteenth centenary Of the esablish-
ment Of Christianity by the operation
of the famous edict of Constantine the
Great Outside Of Rome the charac-
ter and extent of the celebrations
have been left, by order Of the pope,
to the discretion of the archbishops
and bishops. excepting such special
ceremonies as a public mass of thanks
giving, which has been ordered for
every diocese. In this country the
archbishops and bishops will have 10.
cal celebrations. Cardinal O'Connell
is already preparing for an extraor-
mary ceremony and it is intimated,
may issue an official statement on
the significance Of the commemora,
ton. There will be national cere-
mony in Washington, at St Patrick's,
under the direction of the Apostolic
Delegate who will say the mass.
Cardinal Gibbons will preach.
When he returns from Bermuda Car.
dinal Farley will fix day for the New
York celebration. But as is usual in
] such times, the Catholics throughout
the world will focus their attention on
Rome. The pilgrimages this year will
be larger than heretofore. There are
five to leave this country during the
year, besies one that left last Thus
day on the Caronit. The program Of
the nine months celebration in Rome
has been made public. The perman
ent memorial will be the Church OF
the Holy Martyrs, now in course o.
erection 2eaE--AEsly1an Bridge, nov
known as Ponte Noble, at which point
Maxentius, on October %, 312, was
driven into the Tiber by the forces
of his colleague, Constantine. It wai
this victory over the Roman chief tha-
practically assured the official recog
milton Of the Christians, though tn,
document that made Christianity lie
gal entity was not issue1 Until thu
spring Of S1S. This document is his
torically named the Edict Of Milan.
According to the program made pub
lie yesterday the festivities viii begin
on March 80 with procession from
the catacombs of st. Domitilia, pro
ceed along the catacombs on the Ap
plan Way to the Basilica Of st. Sebas
tiano, where a Te Deum win be
chanted From April to 10 there
will be an extraordinary service every
day in the pope's Cathedral Church
st. John Lateran. Every evening
some visiting bishop will preach.
Archbishop Keane, Archbishop Glen
non and Bishop O'Connell will be the
chief representatives of the American
hierarchy in Rome during the post
Easter period Bishop s0'connell OF
Richmond is to deliver the English
sermon in the Church of San silves-
tro in Capite.
On the second Sunday after Easter
there viii be a solemn pontiflcal masr
in the Greek rite. The following Sun
day Cardinal Respigni, the poDe's vic
ar, will be the celebrant. This func-
tion will be the official one for the
diplomats accredited to the Holy See
and all the orders Of the clergy. There
will be sermons in English, French
and Italian. Cardinal Cassetta viii
give the benediction in the afternoon.
On April 90 viii occur solenf
commemoration by the Chapter of st