Evening star., 1923-03-17
ST. PATR|CK'S DAY
! OBSERVED IN D. c.
Solemn High Mass Is Fea-
ture of CeIebration-Hi-
bernians Attend.
RECALLS IRISH HISTORY
Father Callaghan Pays High Trib-
ute to People of Emerald.
Isle.
RECALLS IRISH HISTORY

With simple and impressive exer-
cises, the feast day of St Patrick,
patron saint of Ireland is being cele-
brated in Washington today by de-
scendants of pagan Celts. who were
converted as a nation to Christianity
by this missionary in the fifth CEN
tury.
Celebrations centered about the SOL
emn high mass at st. Patrick's
Church this morning, which members
Of the Ancient Order of Hibernians
attended in body together with
members of the ladies' auxiliary. The
mode of celebration today is in strik-
ipS contrast to the widespread cXer-
cises of this city half a century ago
when Pennsylvania avenue was lined
with Celebrants and paraderS attired
formally and wearing the emblematic
green betokening adherence to Irish
traditions.
There's plenty of green being worn
today. and lriShmen are greeting each
other just as effusIvely. but some
thing of the spirit of bygOne days
has been swept away by the onrush
of modern industry.
Priest Tells Irish History.
Those with Irish blood who attended
Dt. dli IN y NruuItil, however. must
have been sluggards if they did not
get thrill from the description of
early Irish customs and history pre-
sented by Rev j. j. Callaghan of ST.
Matthew's: state chaplain of the Hi
bernianS. in delivering the panegyric.
He criticized historians for not TAX
ing more pains to portray all sides
and all features of early Irish civil
liza ton. He drew a picture OF land
of paganS. who must have been gov
erned by a highly developed phi
loSophy of life. living in ancient Hi
bernia before the arrival of st. Pat
rick. He showed that during the so
called dark ages t WAS from Ireland
that scholars and students mission
aries and teachers went across into
the continent to establish seats of
learning and further education. If
this was done. he declared, during the
second. third and fourth centuries,
st. Patrick when he arrived in the
NTH century must have found a pt"-
pie educated by their previous learn
ing I" state where conversion
would not be an impossible task.
The conversion Of Ireland" he
said lis unique in the fact that il
was Il bioodleSs conversion of an en-
tire nation. although the work of
st. Gregory in Armenia merits a
place in close proximity. How could
Ireland have been a barbarian, even
a pagan, if st Patrick was able.
turn the eyes of the entire nation 10
the shield of Christianity? How
would il be possible for these people
70 have held the faith from that far
day to this unless they were in such
a comparatively highly educated state
when they received the word that
they could implant the tents OF
Christianity firmly in the sod TO re-
main unshaken for fifteen centuries?"
Hibernians Dine Tonight.
Archbishop F'umasoni- Biondi. the
apostolic delegate, attended the mass.
Sacred Heart was the celebrant.
Bishop Shahan of Catholic University
also was in the sacristy. Many other
high dignitarieS of the church of this
city were in attendance.
The feast will be celebrated tonight
by the Hibernians with banquet at
the Catholic Womens Service Club.
sol E street. DIR. =. !. Healy will be
the speaker and States President
Joseph A. Daily will preside. Thomas
A. Cantwell Bernard A. Fitzgerald,
Miss Ethel Roddy Mrs. Nellie 3. Kel-
ser. Ambrose Durkin and Miss Rose
Green will he on the program of
musical and vocal entertainment. Miss
Maragret Walsh and Christopher
Tenley will be accompanies.
The committee in charge of the cele-
bration is headed by Daniel NJ. Stan
ton, vice president OF the District
OOard OF the order. Members OF the
committee include: Joseph A. Daily.
president of the board; Thomas Nc
Grath, secretary of the board, and
Miss Catherine Breen.
Keane Council Knights Of Column
bus, will have its regular St. Patrick .
day dance and celebration al the City
Club tonight. Spalding Council of the
same order. will hold a dance at the
knights Of Columbus Hall. go 10th
street.
Throughout Washington the green"
is on display. street vendors today
were displaying all types of symbols
for coat lapels.
ShnmrOcEs i'm Evidence.
In the stores of florists green carna-
tons abounded. Pots Of shamrOCks
we're on sale at many of the shops
Postmaster Chances crew also re-
ported delivery of many letters post
marked by the Irish Free State in
which might be seen the three-leaved
plant that St. Patrick used to illus
trate the doctrine Of the Trinity.
And as usual. George W. Hess. di-
rector of the United States Botanic
Garden. sent government officials,
particularly those Of Gaelic extrac-
ton. pots Of shamrocks grown from
seed imported from the "old sod"
Representative George Holden Tink-
ham of Boston got as large a quota
of these plants as possible to ship to
favored ones from Erin in his home
district.