CLOSING SCENES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 5 February 1940, Page 3

CLOSING SCENES

OF EUCHARISTIC CONGRESS

GREAT ASSEMBLAGE IN WELLINGTON.

MARCH THROUGH CITY STREETS.

(By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON. This Day

One of the greatest assemblages of people in the history of Wellington witnessed the closing scenes of the. New Zealand National Eucharistic Congress yesterday afternoon, when there was a procession of the Blessed Sacrament through the city streets, so extensive that it took 45 minutes to. pass a given point, to the congress grounds for Solemn Pontifical Benediction and the giving of the Papal blessing by the Papal Legate, Archbishop Panico. Expert estimates of the crowd in the grounds and in the vicinity while the Benediction service was proceeding gave the number at between 40,000 and 50,000. There were at least 10 000 in the procession. The weather was perfect and the grandeur of this closing ceremony was a glorious conclusion crowning the beauty and dignity of the week’s celebrations. The Benediction concluded on a stirring and impressive note when at the final blessing silver trumpets rang out from the top of the college in a salute to Christ the King.

The route of the procession was via Featherston Street, Lambton Quay, Willis Street, Manners Street (where the clergy who had assembled at St Mary of the Angels. Boulcott Street, joined in), Courtenay Place and Cambridge Terrace.

Long before the hour appointed for the procession to move off, Catholic people ,of whom there were 18,000 inWellington. 25,000 in the Wellington district, and 76.000 in the archdiocese, came to the city by tram, train, bus and motor-car from all parts. With onlookers, crowds several deep were formed on both sides of the entire route.

Along the route there were loudspeakers through which were broadcast hymns sung by a special choir at St Patrick’s College, under Mr M. Fernie and with Mr H. Mount at the organ. Father Gupwell, S.M.. broadcast devotional interludes. Catholic Boy Scouts distributed thousands of hymn sheets.

The returned soldiers, more than 600, were led by Lieutenant-Colonel J. G. Roache, D. 5.0., Croix de Guerre, and the men of the second echelon were in charge of Colonel R. A. Row, D. 5.0., N.Z.S.C., officer commanding the Central Military District, who had with him Lieutenant-Colonel A. B. Williams, D. 5.0., R.N.Z.A.

A great reception was given all along the route and at the congress grounds to the soldiers, returned soldiers and Maori children and adults.

The Legate was the celebrant at the Benediction service. After he had road his farewell message and left the grounds he was accorded a tremendous ovation, the cheers of the men mingling with the clapping of the women and girls and the general cries of acclamation. The concluding note was the singing of “For He’s a Jolly Good Follow" by the thousands in the grounds and in the vicinity.

The trumpeters for the ceremony were from the Port Nicholson Band.

Four thousand men including members of the Holy Name Society received Holy Communion at the 7.30 a.m. Men’s Mass yesterday. Archbishop Mannix, Melbourne, was the celebrant of the Mass. Mr Maxwell Fernie conducted the singing of the men with Mr H. Mount, organist. Father Ryan, a Dominican priest, preached a short sermon and the men were served with breakfast at St Patrick's College, a feat of catering which was carried out without hitch or delay. The closing Mass of the congress was a Solemn Pontifical Mass at 11 a.m.