Evening star., 1940-12-15
By John CIagen Proctor.

Church Relics Shown.
At the St. Mary's of today, the
writer met some years ago, the
pastor, Rev. Charles Triukaus, and
a most gracious and magnetic man
he proved to be, the kind that makes
a stranger feel perfectly welcome
and at home From him the pictures
of old. ST. Mary's and of Father Alig
were obtained, and the writer was
shown some of the church relics.
including the trowel with which the
corner stone of the original church
was laid and which was labeled as
follows:
This trowel was used
by
The Most Rev. Samuel Eccleston
Archbishop of Baltimore
at
The corner stone laying Of
The Ole st. Mary's German
Catholic Church
Washington, D. c.
The Feast of the Annunclatlon
of the
Blessed Virgin Mary
March 25, 1846.'
The same trowel was also used on
July q, 1890, in laying the corner
stone of the present st. Mary's
Church, and later on, November 4,
1907, in laying the corner stone Oh
st. Mary's School.
Corner Stone Laying.
The writer felt that the laying OF
the corner stone of the first st.
Marys Church must have been a
notable event, and in this thought
he was not mistaken, for in the
National Intelligencer of March 70,
1846, he found an account OF the
ceremonies, which said:
THE corner stone of the new
church intended for the use OF the
German Catholics, under the pastoral
care of the Rev. M. Alig of this city
was laid yesterday by the Most Rev.
Archbishop Eccleston, with appro-
pirate solemnlties in the presence OF
an immense body of people, who
witnessed the ceremonies. A very
large procession, accompanied by the
German band, moved along Pennsyl-
vania avenue, from st. Matthews
Church, passing into Four -and-a-
half street and thence to the site OF
the church OF st. Mary Mater Del,
which is situated on Fifth street,
between G. and H streets.
The procession formed at the
German chapel on Eighth street
and marched thence to ST. Mat
thew's Church. When the process
sion arrived at st. Matthews, there
was a considerable increase OF Its
numbers. AS it passed along Penn
sylvania avenue we noticed
81. The German Band.
80. The German Beneficial Society
two and two, wearing white rosettes
and bearing a handsome banner with
representa.i ton of the Merciful
Samaritan.
"3. The German Male and Female
Sodality; the males wearing RED
sashes, the females dressed in white
with wreaths of flowers on their
heads preceded by their pastor, Rev
Mr. Alig.
q. The Washington Benevolent
Society, two and two, bearing their
handsome green silk banner, and
each member wearing a green badge
IS The Rev. Messrs. Flanagan
and Ray of Georgetown and the Rev.
MI Donelan of Washington and
several of the Baltimore clergy IN
their clerical robes.
end other citizens, walking two and
two.
Laid by Archbishop.
when the procession reached the
site of the intended church a lane
was formed from house on Filth
street to the cornerstone, where the
Most Rev. Archbishop Eccleston, IN
pontihcials, with his attendants
passed along it, followed by the
clergy, the Mayor and other gentle
men. The cornerstone was tnen
laid by the archbishop, after Whlch
a sermon was delivered in English
by the Rev. j. P. Donelan, and an
other sermon in German by the Rev
Mr.. Haslinger of Baltimore. The
services and ceremonies continued
for more than two hours. We un-
derstand that the archbishop and
the clergy dined at Mr.. Miller's, on
the corner of Ninth and F. streets"
Rev. Matthias Alig, who was pastor
of this church for 36 years, was
naturally very popular in his parish
and generally beloved throughout
the city. The Star of June 10, 1882
In speaking of his death, said:
Rev. Matthias Alig, pastor OF ST
Mary's (German) Catholic Church,
whose death occurred yesterday at
2:15 pm, will be buried Monday
morning in the new Metropolis
German Catholic) Cemetery The
funeral ceremonies will take place
Monday morning in st. Mary's
Church at $50 o'clock, when solemn
requiem mass will be celebrated by
Rev. Father j. A. Walter of ST.
Patrick'S Church, assisted by Rev
DR.. Ryan OF Immaculate Concep-
tion as deacon and Rev. Father
Sullivan of st. Peters, subdeacon
A funeral sermon will be preached
by Rev. Father Slencher of st.
Joseph's.
Father Alig had been confined
to his home for several months by
indisposition He was in his 18th
year and his long life had been very
active in service to the church. He
came here nearly 40 years ago, soon