Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-06-21
RUSH OF 100000
WORSH|PERS STOPS
CATHOLIC SESSIONS
Tmongs About Altar So
Great Program After Mass
Is Abandoned.
MICHIGAN BOULEVARD
JAMMED FOR TWO MILES
Announcers Plead With Crowds to
Leave Field. Which Is
Entirely Blocked,

CHICAGO. June 21.-Throngs Of
worshipers, intent on approaching as
near as possible to the altar and the
rrelates. halted the program of the
first general session of the twenty
eighth international Eucharistic Con
eress of the Catholic Church in Sol
diers' Field today after the pontifical
mass had been celebrated. The re-
nainder of the program was aban'
doned.
The communion had barely been
ended. with John Cardinal BonZano.
papal delegate, celebrating the solemn
pontifical mass, and the papal blessing
had been given, when the rush came.
The abandoned program consisted of
addresses by Cardinal Won Faulhaber
Of Munich. Germany, Archbishop
Daniel Mannix of Melbourne, Aus
tralia. and former Senator David l..
Walsh of Massachusetts, but the
enthusiasm of the crowds demanded
the clearing of the field.
At las pm. the announcers still
were urging the crowd to keep away
from the altar and leave the field
at once"
Grant Park, on the lake front. where
the stadium is situated, was blocked
cleared of it's ordinary traffic. was
jammed for nearly miles by the
dispensing thousands.
Mass Beneath Golden Dome.
Beneath a golden dome Cardinal
Bonzano celebrated the mass.
Including persons massed outside.
nearly a quarter million of worshipers
braved light rain to throng the en-
20 INN m
Grant Park Fully $4,000 of them
were unable to gain admittance, but
delayed the procession Of vested prel-
ates and clergy for nearly an hour.
Starting under the gloomy canopy
of rain clouds that cast off heavy
mist, the mass, long before its COM
pletion, was being celebrated under
a bright sun.
It was "Children's day" at the
congress. A choir of $4,000 school
children clad in white and gold, the
papal colors. sang the '"Nfass of the
Angels The host OF children and
spectators knelt In unison as the
choir pronounced the words, let
incarnatus est" telling Of Christs
incarnation.
Tinkling of chimes and the silvery
tones of bugles proclaimed the pres
<ence of the consecrated Eucharist at
tHe alLar.
Chanting of the "Pater Noster." the
Lords prayer. followed. and the
"Agnus Del" a prayer to Christ for
peace, with the communion or per
sonal reception Of the Eucharist taken
on this occasion only by the of1ciat-
ing prelate, the mass ended with the
papal blessin gand the gospe! of St,
John, "the disciple whom Jesus
loved"
Right Rev Thoma L. Heylen.
Bishop Of Namur. Belgium, and presi-
dent Of the permanent committee of
eucharistic congresses, presided. Be
side Cardinal Bonzano. ii other car
dinals were enthroned. Two car
dinals. Michael Won Faulhaber. Arch
bishop of Munich. Germany. and Louis
Ernest Dubois. Archbishop of Paris:
Archbishop Daniel ManniX OF Mel
bourne, Australia. and former Senator
David I. Walsh of Massachusetts, were
the other speakers.
The English speaking section held its
sessions in the Coliseum, where at q
civic reception last Friday night the
Catholic prelates and clergy were vel
coined.
Stadium Is Banked.
The mass was celebrated by Cardi-
nal Bonzano before the greatest
throng of Worshipers ever assembled
for the rites.
The public stadium. more than hale
a mile long. was l.nked to the top
most tier OF seats and tens of thou
sands iammed the field a. all sides OF
the towering stands clamoring for ad
mission. So dense were the multi
mission.
Except on the roofs of the peri
styles on either side OF the vast eX-
tent Of Soldiers Field, every foot of
standing room within sight Of the
golden-topped outdoor altar was
packed with spectators. Below in the
field in front of the altar stretched
a long eXpanse of wh.te-the choir
of so 900 school children.
To the west side Of the altar were
thousands of nuns, their mass of
black costumes set of with white
capes under black Wells.
The altar, on great green plat
form 80 feet above the field. was
overarched by baldachino of red and
gold more than 125 feet high, topped
by cricifix. Behind the altar. at
right, huge American flag stretched
in the breeze.
Flanking the altar at diagonals
were the thrones of II cardinals, each
with a red kneeling bench facing the
eucharistic throne at the center of the
altar.
The throne of the papal legate.
under an arched conopy Of red velvet
and gold. was on dais at the right
of the altar.
In white cassocks and scarlet
capes were groups of acolytes wait
ing at the foot of the 50-foot tiers
of steps, carpeted in the middle with
cardinal red, which were to be as
cended by the bishops and other
clergy to celebrate the mass.
So dense did the crowds become
at the sides of the field near the
altar that long before mass began
not a few right reverend purple clad
monsignors We're forced to climb as
best they could over ratings and
camp stools to get to their assigned
places.
The march on the stadium which
began at an early hour continued
with ever-swelling lines of humanity
until after II o'clock, when all roads
leading to the field were closed more
than half mile from the gates, with
many who had gained admission as
early as = o'clock more than half IL
mile from the altar.
Several hlo"k& behind the altar.
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