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 The closing ceremony of the Eucharistic Congress of Dublin in June 1932 | |
| Date | 22–26 June 1932 |
|---|---|
| Location | Dublin,County Dublin,Irish Free State |
| Type | Eucharistic congress |
The31st International Eucharistic Congress, held inDublin 22–26 June 1932, was one of the largesteucharistic congresses of the 20th century. Ireland was then home to over three million Catholics, and it was selected to host the congress as 1932 was the 1500th anniversary ofSaint Patrick's arrival.[1] The theme was "The Propagation of the Sainted Eucharist by Irish Missionaries".
Two days before,Time magazine noted the Congress' special theme:
Previous Congresses have had their characteristic notes, wrote Managing Editor Vincent de Paul Fitz-patrick of The Catholic Review. In Chicago there was the "enthusiasm of the Americans"; in Rome "the everlasting glory of the church"; in Spain "the love of beauty and gallantry of the Spanish"; in Carthage "the memory of the martyrs." In Dublin, undoubtedly, it would be "the Faith of the Irish."[2]
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The city of Dublin was decorated with banners, bunting, garlands, and replica round towers.[1] Seven ocean liners moored in the port basins and alongSir John Rogerson's Quay. These wereDe Grasse,Doric,Dresden,Duchess of Bedford,Marnix van Sint Aldegonde,Rio Bravo andSierra Cordoba. Five others,Antonia,Laconia,Lapland,Samaria andSaturnia anchored around Scotsmans Bay. The liners acted as floating hotels and could accommodate from 130 to 1,500 people on each. TheBlue Hussars, a ceremonial cavalry unit of the Irish Army formed to escort thePresident of Ireland (from 1938 to 1948) on state occasions first appeared in public as anhonour guard for the visitingpapal legate representingPope Pius XI.
John Charles McQuaid, president ofBlackrock College, hosted a large garden party on the grounds of the college to welcome the papal legate, where the many hundreds of bishops assembled for the Congress had the opportunity to mingle with a huge gathering of distinguished guests and others who had paid a modest subscription fee.[5]
The final publicMass of the congress was held on 26 June inPhoenix Park at an altar designed by the eminent Irish architectJohn J. Robinson of Robinson & Keefe Architects, at 1 pm on Sunday, and was celebrated byMichael Joseph Curley,Archbishop of Baltimore. A radio station was set up in Athlone to coincide with the Congress. (Known as Radio Athlone, in 1938, it becameRadio Éireann and laterRTÉ Radio).[6] The ceremonies included a live radio broadcast byPope Pius XI from the Vatican.[1]John McCormack, the world famous Irish tenor, sangCésar Franck'sPanis angelicus at the Mass.[7]
Approximately 25% of the population ofIreland attended the Mass and afterwards four processions left the park toO'Connell Street where approximately 500,000 people gathered onO'Connell Bridge for the concludingbenediction given by the papal legate, CardinalLorenzo Lauri.[7] TheDundalk Democrat described the event:
Here men and women are proud to give evidence of their Faith: proud of being sons and daughters of the dead and gone Catholics who kept the flame alive in evil days of persecution and spoliation. ... The men and women of long ago ... from the high place in Heaven won by their heroic piety ... must have looked down upon this glorious scene with serene happiness and benediction.
TheEnglish Catholic writerG. K. Chesterton was also present, and observed: "I confess I was myself enough of an outsider to feel flash through my mind, as the illimitable multitude began to melt away towards the gates and roads and bridges, the instantaneous thought 'This is Democracy; and everyone is saying there is no such thing.'"[citation needed]
On the other hand, such an overwhelming display of Catholicity only confirmed to Protestants in the North, the necessity of the border.[6]
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The architect appointed for the Congress wasJohn J. Robinson who had spent some years in a seminary before he became an architect. The buildings have aNeo-Greek classical theme and consist of:
Many houses around the country were also decorated for the occasion.
Media related to31st International Eucharistic Congress in Dublin at Wikimedia Commons
