The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1914-05-02
IN THE NEW CATHEDRAL
OF ST. PAUL
LETTER OF THE COMMITTEE TO
THE CATHOLICS OF SLAVIC DE-
SCENT IN THE ARCHDIOCESE
OF ST. PAUL.

ldSI approaching COuupI0IIOu. It's
walls and dome rise majestic above
the busy metropolis Graded at it's
feet A veritable sermon in stone, a
sermon on the mount" preaching to
all who dwell in it's shadow and to
the traveller from afar, that the old
faith has taken deep root in the new
soil of the Northwest.
Over the lowered portal, the sculp
tors magic art has conjured up a
vision of the Christ of glory in the
midst of His apostles, proclaiming the
catholicity of the great Temple of God
Go and teach all nations" the words
of the Savior inscribed in letters OF
stone, tell the purpose of the Cathe
dral. Catholic, likewise is the Cathe
dral in it's origin. Irrespective OF
race, the Catholics of the Archdiocese
had their share in its erection. 1t is
a symbol of unity of faith, faith in
the one Lord. This catholicity of or.
igin and purpose will be perpetuated
in the various national chapels
grouped around the main altar of the
Cathedral. Among these national
chapels will be one sacred to the
apostles of the Slavic races, SIS. Cy.
ril and Methodius.
Separated by geographical and po
litical conditions, we have for cen
turies lived more or less isolated from
one another. Each of the Slavic
races speaks it's own language, has
it's own customs, it's own memories o1
the past, it's own cherished hopes OF
the future Each has it's own saints
so dear to it's heart-its bishops and
priests who consecrated themselves
and their lives to the service of Goo
and their country; it's sanity kings
and queens who exchanged theil
earthly honors for the more brilliant
crown of martyrdom it's holy mer
and women whose virtues we humbly
strive to initiate.
Apostles of the Slavic Race.
Yet, there are two saints who in q
special manner belong to the entire
Slavic race, SS. Cyril and Methodius
They are the spiritual fathers of us
all. They planted the seed of Chris
tian faith on Slavic soil. They are
our apostles. Like another st. Paul
they laid the foundation, and othel
foundation no man can lay. The
many sanity teachers who came aft
er them, built upon the foundation
laid by our two apostles. They bu
continued the work so well begun by
the two brothers who from their home
in distant Greece brought to our ia
theirs the tidings of the Gospel o1
peace. The Slavic world with it's $50,
100000 souls owes an eternal deb
of gratitude to it's apostles, IS. Cyri
and Methodius. Moreover, they in
troduced the Slavic liturgy, unique
privilege in Western Christendom
They gave us our first translation ot
the Sacred Scriptures in the Slavic
tongue, they taught our fathers the
first Slavic alphabet which millions
use down to our time.
The Slavic peoples acknowledge
their debt to their two apostles. Some
years ago, they united to commemo
rate the tenth centenary of the com
ing of the two Thessalonian brothers
to Moravia. In grateful recognition Of
it's debt, the Slavic world erected q
worthy basilica in their honor, and
thousands come every year to the era
die of Slavic Christianity to profess
and to renew the faith which IS
Cyril and Methodius brought to theil
spiritual children.
The Proposed Chapel.
In this country of our adoption we
can all unite to honor our great apos
ties. The chapel which we shall erec
to them will prove that we have re
mained true to the inheritance of oul
fathers, to the faith of SIS. Cyril anC
Methodius.
The chapel is to be an expression
of that faith All the materials EN-
ployed in it's ornamentation will bt
brought from our former homes. A
skilled artist will be selected to make
it typically ours In addition, some
suitable recognition, in the way O.
inscriptions or other ornamentation
will be given to each of the different
branches of the Slavic race which
helps in it's erection.
The other nationalities of the Arch
diocese are already at work to per
petuate the memory of their grea
apostles in the new Cathedral. Tht
Chapel Of IS. Cyril and Methodius
must not be the last, as it must MOI
be the least.
A sum of $4,000 will be needed tc
furnish the chapel, to make it worthy
of the Cathedral in which it stands
worthy of the national chapels among
which it has place, and worthy OF the
faith that throbs in our hearts.
Appeal to All sIaVs.
The committee appeals to all the
children of the Slavic race to help II
this great undertaking. 1t asks all to
do something for this purpose. They
whom the Lord has blessed with
worldly goods, should contribute IL
proportion to their means. All should
assist generously. Let our generosity
be inspired by the ambition of making
our chapel a national monument tc
our illustrious apostles, monument
worthy of our race.