GREAT SPECTACLE

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 260, 27 June 1932, Page 5

GREAT SPECTACLE

(Presa. Assn.-

ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND FORM FIGUlRE OF CROSS SCENE IN PHOENIX PARK

— By Telegra-p h— Copyrlght).

Rec. June 26, 5.5 p.m: LONDON, Saturday. The Australian Press repreSentative at Dublin says that the children^ day at the Eucharistic CongresS opened unpromisingly, but later there was brilliant sunshine. One hundred thousand school children, representative of every part of Ir eland 'heard Archbishop Kelly of Sydney, celehrate high mass at the altar in PhoeHix Park in the presence of the Legate. The latter, later Charmingly addressed the children, and then slowly moved in an open car through the lines of massed children, blessing them as he passed arhidst stirring eheers. There was a memorahle scene from 'the semi-circular colonade, flanking the high altar, the Legate Ori the throne beside the altar, attended hy me'dievially dressed papal attendants. j THree eardinals in scarlet and gold | were ..on each side of the altar. The j colonade sides were filled by 130 Arch- I bishops, while immediately in frotit > was a solid phalan'x of 800 surpliced priests on on'e side and a specially '

trained choir of 1700 white robed girls on the other side. An impr'essive touch was imparted by a lirie of half greenish khaki unifdrms of the Free State officers with drawn swords, while at the foot of the steps were four military trumpeters. Members of the Minist.ry stood in special robes next to the priests and then eame long rowS of children masS!ed like a giant cross, the girls mos'tly in white, and the boys in flannels with school blaze'rs. Each child had a white and yellow paper flag, and the rows looked like waving daffodils. Amplifiers earried the voices of the speakers far beyond the assembly.