Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1913-02-23
first DIOCESE
+. TO Celebrate
Oldest 10 Americas VIII Hold
Weeks Celebration 10
Porto Rico

SAN JUAN, Porto Rico, Feb. o.
Princes Of the church., archbishop,
bishops, monsignori, dignitaries by
the score and hundreds of priests are
in San Juan ready to take part in
the weeks celebration OF the four
hundredth anniversary Of the creation
Of the Roman Cathoiic diocese of Por"
to Rico. The diocese Is the Oldest IN
the Americas and was erected BY
Pope Julius II. in 1911:
Bishop Alfonso Manso, the first bish'
op to reach the new world, arrived III
Porto Rico in 1913. He died in 1889
and his body was buried in the cathe.
dral in San Juan, where the bodies
OF many Of the fifty bishops Of the do
cese have been, deposited. This cath
edral marks the site OF the mother
church in the Americas. While much
Of the present building of modern
parts Of 1t date back to the very he.
ginning Of the seventeenth century.
The final details of the program for
the four hundredth' anniversary cele'
bration were completed today. The
celebration is to be conducted on: a
scalesof great ponp and magnificense.
The Roman Catholic church in the
old world. as, well as the new, will be
represented. The church IN Spain has
sent as her representative, Cardinal
Almarez Of Seville. From the United
States has come. highly distinguish
ed delegation OF prelates,, headed by
Cardinal Farley Of New York and
Archbishop Blenk Of New Orleans.
Others in the party include Bishop
Gum of Natchez, Miss, and Bishop
Norris of Little Rock. Archbishop
Rernada of Santiago and Bishop Es.
trada. Of Havana are at the head Of a
large party Of Cuban churchmen here
for the celebration. From Mexico
and from Che various countries OF
Central and South America also have
come distinguished representatives Of
the church to take part in the COM
memoratlon exercises. . W.
Cardinal Farley. will be the central
figure 9ats the celebration OF the high
pontifical mass with whic. the cele-
bration will be ushered in tomorrow
morning. One thousand persons will
compose the procession, which will
move around the historic cathedral
before taking part in the solemn, SER
vice, at which will be read a message
Of greeting and words Of blessing
from Pope Plus X. s'
Cardinal Farley, as %celebrant, will
have precedence over all the visiting
Jprelates at the mass, and will alone
bear the .crozier. His eminence will
be seated on a small platform cover-
ed with cloth OF gold, as will also Car.
dinal A!marez Of Seville. The head
Of the diocese has relinquished the
throne to Cardinal Farley and a spe.
cial throne has been erected for the
Spanish prelate. The cardinals and
archbishops. will be attended by dea.
cons OF honor.
Following the ponti6cal high mass
there will be other Impressive religi.
O;s services during the week, but the
hreater portion of the program will
be devoted to literary exercises and
to various functions to be given un-
der the auspices Of the religious and
educational organizations connected
with the church In Porto Rico.
Archbishop Blenk of New Orleans,
who won wide popularity here dur.
ing the several years that he served
as bishop of Porto Rico, has met with
q most enthusiastic welcome on his
return and, with Cardinal Farley and
the other visiting American prelates.
Is. the recipient Of many attentions.
On Monday next, the archbishop OF
New. Orleans IS to, oficiate at a special
service, when the body of Ponce de
Leon the first governor of Porto Ri
CO., and aforementioned by every Ameri.
can schoolboy for his reputed quest
Of the tabled fountain OF youth, will
pe placed in q crypt in an elaborate
monument that has been erected In
the cathedral, in his memory.
|WlGL scHooL ENTERTAINMENT
The sixth Grade of the VIII School
win. TIA an entertainment at the high
school, next Monday evening, Fenrtl
airy 24th, at 7:455 O'clock. Admission
will De ten cents, and the proceed
will 10 used to buy records for tn,
.~-.vySnAenN~ s N@ FrS5Hsa 1922 N5,F