GREATEST HONOUR TO WOMAN.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXIII, 24 June 1926, Page 7

GREATEST HONOUR TO WOMAN.

Eucharistic Ceremonies In Chicago. TRIBUTES TO THE MOTHERS OF THE RACE. by Cable —Press Association —Copyright. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Received Juno 23, 5.5 p.m.) NEW YORK, Juno 22. In Chicago to-day, an enormous gathering, even larger than Monday, assembled in /lie open, air Cathedral in the so-called Soldiers’ Eield, to take part in the eucliaristic ceremonies. The day was set aside for women, who formed the great majority of the 250,000 people in the congregation, while it is estimated that 100,000 more people waited outside the Field, liearins the ceremonies as broadcasted. Six thousand nuns and six thousand additional lay women members of the Chicago Catholic Churches, intoned Carnevnli’s Rosa Mystic. Mass, after which a brilliant procession of cardinals, archbishops, bishops, monsignors and priests moved on to the Field to the strains of the American National Anthem, sung by the whole gathering. Cardinal PiffT, of Austria, ,opened the proceedings with an address in German. Justice Pierce Butler, of the United States Supremo. Court, followed; then came Cardinal O’Connell of Boston.

The assemblage was greatly moved emotionally, many women weeping. It is described as the greatest assemblage of women ever gathered in one enclosure in North America, while Archbishop Hanna, of San Francisco, terms the occasion the greatest honour to womankind in history. ‘

MEMORABLE SERVICES IN SOLDIERS’ FIELD.

SPLENDOUR OF ROME RIVALLED.

Cable—Press Association —Copyright. Auitralian and N.Z. Cable Association

NEW YORK, June 22. A chorus of 62,000 children lifted their voices in praise and thanksgiving to Christ, their Eucharistic King, in the greatest religious gathering ever held on American soil, rivalling in splendour and ceremony the pageantry of ancient Rome.

One hundred and forty-five thousand persons gathered from all nations of the world in the stadium within half a mile of Chicago’s busiest centre. Tiers of seats, filled with pilgrims, lined either side of a field reaching up to Grecian columns, from which flew the Stars and Stripes and the gold and silver colours of the papacy. The altar was topped by a cross which towered to the clouds. At the north end of the stadium four huge bronze statues of angels faced in four directions,, hearing banners inscribed “Saiive.” Cardinal Bonzano and other Cardinals were seated under the canopy on the 'right side of the altar, clad in robes of red. A hundred thousand more lined the streets leading to the stadium during the ceremonies.