The 28th International Eucharistic Congress was held in
Chicago
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
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,
Illinois
Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolita ...
,
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
from June 20 to 24, 1926. The event, held by the
Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
, was a
eucharistic congress, which is a large scale gathering of Catholics that focuses on the
Eucharist
The Eucharist (; from Greek , , ), also known as Holy Communion and the Lord's Supper, is a Christian rite that is considered a sacrament in most churches, and as an ordinance in others. According to the New Testament, the rite was instit ...
and other items of Catholic faith. The event was organized by
Cardinal
Cardinal or The Cardinal may refer to:
Animals
* Cardinal (bird) or Cardinalidae, a family of North and South American birds
**''Cardinalis'', genus of cardinal in the family Cardinalidae
**''Cardinalis cardinalis'', or northern cardinal, the ...
George Mundelein, the
Archbishop of Chicago, and was the first International Eucharistic Congress held in the United States and the second held in
North America
North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Car ...
. Cardinal
Giovanni Bonzano
Giovanni Vincenzo Cardinal Bonzano PIME (27 September 1867 – 26 November 1927) was an Italian Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church who served as Apostolic Delegate to United States from 1912 to 1922, and was elevated to the cardinalate ...
served as the
papal legate
300px, A woodcut showing Henry II of England greeting the pope's legate.
A papal legate or apostolic legate (from the ancient Roman title ''legatus'') is a personal representative of the pope to foreign nations, or to some part of the Catholic ...
for the event. The event attracted a large number of people to the city, with most sources claiming at least several hundred thousand attendees. Large events were held throughout the area, at locations including
Soldier Field
Soldier Field is a multi-purpose stadium on the Near South Side of Chicago, Illinois, United States. Opened in 1924 and reconstructed in 2003, the stadium has served as the home of the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL) since 1 ...
,
Holy Name Cathedral, and the
Saint Mary of the Lake Seminary. Some sources claim that approximately 1 million people attended the closing day
mass
Mass is an intrinsic property of a body. It was traditionally believed to be related to the quantity of matter in a physical body, until the discovery of the atom and particle physics. It was found that different atoms and different elementar ...
held at the
seminary
A seminary, school of theology, theological seminary, or divinity school is an educational institution for educating students (sometimes called ''seminarians'') in scripture, theology, generally to prepare them for ordination to serve as clergy, ...
in nearby
Mundelein, Illinois
Mundelein is a village in Lake County, Illinois, United States and a northern suburb of Chicago. Per the 2020 census, the population was 31,560. It is approximately thirty-five miles northwest of Chicago.
History
The community now known as M ...
.
The congress is considered a major event in the
history of Chicago
Chicago has played a central role in American economic, cultural and political history. Since the 1850s Chicago has been one of the dominant metropolises in the Midwestern United States, and has been the largest city in the Midwest since the 1 ...
, with some historians comparing the size of the event to the city's
world's fair
A world's fair, also known as a universal exhibition or an expo, is a large international exhibition designed to showcase the achievements of nations. These exhibitions vary in character and are held in different parts of the world at a specif ...
s. It is also regarded as an important occurrence in the
history of the Catholic Church in the United States
The Catholic Church in the United States began in the colonial era, but by the mid-1800's, most of the Spanish, French, and Mexican influences had institutionally and demographically faded, owing to the Louisiana Purchase (1803) and the Treaty o ...
, as it demonstrated the size and power of the church in the historically
Protestant
Protestantism is a Christian denomination, branch of Christianity that follows the theological tenets of the Reformation, Protestant Reformation, a movement that began seeking to reform the Catholic Church from within in the 16th century agai ...
United States.
Background
Eucharistic congresses are largescale events held by the
Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
that focus on the
Eucharist
The Eucharist (; from Greek , , ), also known as Holy Communion and the Lord's Supper, is a Christian rite that is considered a sacrament in most churches, and as an ordinance in others. According to the New Testament, the rite was instit ...
and involve discussions on
Catholic theology and the importance of the
sacrament
A sacrament is a Christianity, Christian Rite (Christianity), rite that is recognized as being particularly important and significant. There are various views on the existence and meaning of such rites. Many Christians consider the sacraments ...
. The events include
liturgies
Liturgy is the customary public ritual of worship performed by a religious group. ''Liturgy'' can also be used to refer specifically to public worship by Christians. As a religious phenomenon, liturgy represents a communal response to and partic ...
and discussions regarding the
real presence of Christ in the Eucharist
The real presence of Christ in the Eucharist is the Christian doctrine that Jesus Christ is present in the Eucharist, not merely symbolically or metaphorically, but in a true, real and substantial way.
There are a number of Christian denomina ...
. International Eucharistic Congresses have been held by the church since 1881. The first was held in
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
that year, and by 1926 there had been 27 congresses. All but one (
Montreal
Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-most populous city in Canada and List of towns in Quebec, most populous city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian ...
in 1910) had been held in either
Europe
Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...
or
Asia
Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with Africa. Asia covers an area ...
. In 1924,
Cardinal
Cardinal or The Cardinal may refer to:
Animals
* Cardinal (bird) or Cardinalidae, a family of North and South American birds
**''Cardinalis'', genus of cardinal in the family Cardinalidae
**''Cardinalis cardinalis'', or northern cardinal, the ...
George Mundelein asked
Pope Pius XI
Pope Pius XI ( it, Pio XI), born Ambrogio Damiano Achille Ratti (; 31 May 1857 – 10 February 1939), was head of the Catholic Church from 6 February 1922 to his death in February 1939. He was the first sovereign of Vatican City fro ...
to declare
Chicago
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
, image_map =
, map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago
, coordinates =
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, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name ...
the host city for the next International Eucharistic Congress. In February the following year, Mundelein announced that the Pope had approved the proposition. With this, Chicago served as the first city in the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
to host a congress. The selection was also seen as a sign of the growing importance of Chicago, which, according to a 2019 article published by the
University of Saint Mary of the Lake, was still considered "
mission
Mission (from Latin ''missio'' "the act of sending out") may refer to:
Organised activities Religion
*Christian mission, an organized effort to spread Christianity
*Mission (LDS Church), an administrative area of The Church of Jesus Christ of ...
territory" until 1908. Mundelein also hoped that holding the congress in Chicago would demonstrate the strength of the Catholic Church in the city, where much of the political power was held by
Protestant elite
In the United States, White Anglo-Saxon Protestants or WASPs are an ethnoreligious group who are the white, upper-class, American Protestant historical elite, typically of British descent. WASPs dominated American society, culture, and politics ...
s. At the time, Chicago was home to slightly over 3 million people, of whom 880,000 were Catholic, prompting historian Thomas Doherty to refer to the city as "the nation's most Catholic city."
Preparations for the event
![Soldier Field 1932 NPS](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a3/Soldier_Field_1932_NPS.jpg)
In March 1925,
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution.
In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is ca ...
Thomas Louis Heylen
Thomas Louis Heylen OPraem (1856–1941) was a Belgian prelate of the Catholic Church who served as the twenty-sixth bishop of Namur in Belgium (1899–1941). He also served as President of the Pontifical Committee for International Eucharistic Co ...
, the president of the
Pontifical Committee for International Eucharistic Congresses
The Pontifical Committee for International Eucharistic Congresses is part of the Roman Curia of the Roman Catholic Church. It was erected in 1879 by Pope Leo XIII. Its statutes were last updated by Pope Benedict XVI in 2009.
Aims
The purpose o ...
traveled to the city to scout locations for the event and discuss transportation issues with
railroad
Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport that transfers passengers and goods on wheeled vehicles running on rails, which are incorporated in tracks. In contrast to road transport, where the vehicles run on a pre ...
and
steamship
A steamship, often referred to as a steamer, is a type of steam-powered vessel, typically ocean-faring and seaworthy, that is propelled by one or more steam engines that typically move (turn) propellers or paddlewheels. The first steamships ...
companies. That same year,
Catholic American film censor
Joseph Breen
Joseph Ignatius Breen (October 14, 1888 – December 5, 1965) was an American film censor with the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America who applied the Hays Code to film production.Staff report (December 8, 1965). Joseph I. ...
was appointed the publicity director for the congress. In January 1926, the South Park Commission agreed to allow the use of
Soldier Field
Soldier Field is a multi-purpose stadium on the Near South Side of Chicago, Illinois, United States. Opened in 1924 and reconstructed in 2003, the stadium has served as the home of the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL) since 1 ...
for several large
masses during the event. At the time, the north end of the stadium was still partially under construction, with the planned formal opening of the stadium to be that year's
Army–Navy Game
The Army–Navy Game is an American college football rivalry game between the Army Black Knights of the United States Military Academy (USMA) at West Point, New York, and the Navy Midshipmen of the United States Naval Academy (USNA) at Annapo ...
in November. Modifications were made to the stadium to suit the needs of the congress, such as the construction of a
sanctuary
A sanctuary, in its original meaning, is a sacred place, such as a shrine. By the use of such places as a haven, by extension the term has come to be used for any place of safety. This secondary use can be categorized into human sanctuary, a saf ...
standing above the field measuring wide and long. This sanctuary would hold an
altar
An altar is a table or platform for the presentation of religious offerings, for sacrifices, or for other ritualistic purposes. Altars are found at shrines, temples, churches, and other places of worship. They are used particularly in paga ...
covered by a golden
baldacchino
A baldachin, or baldaquin (from it, baldacchino), is a canopy of state typically placed over an altar or throne. It had its beginnings as a cloth canopy, but in other cases it is a sturdy, permanent architectural feature, particularly over h ...
, topped with a
Christian cross and supported by four large columns. This design was modeled off of the altar area at the
Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls
The Papal Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls ( it, Basilica Papale di San Paolo fuori le Mura), commonly known as Saint Paul's Outside the Walls, is one of Rome's four major papal basilicas, along with the basilicas of Saint John in the ...
in
Rome
, established_title = Founded
, established_date = 753 BC
, founder = King Romulus (legendary)
, image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg
, map_caption ...
. The north end of the altar consisted of a
peristyle
In ancient Greek and Roman architecture, a peristyle (; from Greek ) is a continuous porch formed by a row of columns surrounding the perimeter of a building or a courtyard. Tetrastoön ( grc, τετράστῳον or τετράστοον, lit=fou ...
with alternating columns topped by either a cross or a
bronze
Bronze is an alloy consisting primarily of copper, commonly with about 12–12.5% tin and often with the addition of other metals (including aluminium, manganese, nickel, or zinc) and sometimes non-metals, such as phosphorus, or metalloids such ...
eagle
Eagle is the common name for many large birds of prey of the family Accipitridae. Eagles belong to several groups of genera, some of which are closely related. Most of the 68 species of eagle are from Eurasia and Africa. Outside this area, just ...
, with
laurel
Laurel may refer to:
Plants
* Lauraceae, the laurel family
* Laurel (plant), including a list of trees and plants known as laurel
People
* Laurel (given name), people with the given name
* Laurel (surname), people with the surname
* Laurel (mus ...
draped on the structure. A similar peristyle was erected near
Chicago City Hall
Chicago City Hall is a 10-story building that houses the official seat of government of the City of Chicago in Illinois. Adjacent to the Richard J. Daley Center and the James R. Thompson Center, the building that includes Chicago City Hall ho ...
and the County Building.
American flag
The national flag of the United States of America, often referred to as the ''American flag'' or the ''U.S. flag'', consists of thirteen equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom) alternating with white, with a blue rectangle in the c ...
s were flown prominently throughout the stadium, which, according to historian Liam T. A. Ford, represented "Cardinal Mundelein's wish to emphasize the loyalty of U.S. Catholics to their country."
In February, the congress was discussed in a bulletin published by the
National Catholic Welfare Conference The National Catholic Welfare Council (NCWC) was the annual meeting of the American Catholic hierarchy and its standing secretariat; it was established in 1919 as the successor to the emergency organization, the National Catholic War Council.
It co ...
, with dates for the event set for June 20–24 of that year. In the leadup to the event, Catholic officials from around the world began to make preparations for attending. A meeting of all the bishops in
Poland
Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populous ...
occurred in March, where they selected a bishop, a
priest
A priest is a religious leader authorized to perform the sacred rituals of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and one or more deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particu ...
, and a
professor
Professor (commonly abbreviated as Prof.) is an Academy, academic rank at university, universities and other post-secondary education and research institutions in most countries. Literally, ''professor'' derives from Latin as a "person who pr ...
from the
University of Lublin as their primary ambassadors, while in
Mexico
Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...
, church officials planned for what was later described in a 2009 book as their "largest
pilgrimage
A pilgrimage is a journey, often into an unknown or foreign place, where a person goes in search of new or expanded meaning about their self, others, nature, or a higher good, through the experience. It can lead to a personal transformation, aft ...
ever to a foreign country". In all, over 900 Catholics from Mexico arrived in Chicago from chartered trains. In April, members of the German delegation had already arrived in the city and began actively planning their events for the congress. Among the venues that were used, the French delegation was to use the 16th Street Armory, the German delegation was assigned the Broadway Armory, and the Italian delegation used the
Municipal Pier. The pier also hosted a Catholic
art exhibition
An art exhibition is traditionally the space in which art objects (in the most general sense) meet an audience. The exhibit is universally understood to be for some temporary period unless, as is rarely true, it is stated to be a "permanent exhib ...
.
Also starting in early 1926, the ''
Chicago Tribune
The ''Chicago Tribune'' is a daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States, owned by Tribune Publishing. Founded in 1847, and formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" (a slogan for which WGN radio and television ar ...
'', which had a history of publishing content with
anti-Catholic
Anti-Catholicism is hostility towards Catholics or opposition to the Catholic Church, its clergy, and/or its adherents. At various points after the Reformation, some majority Protestant states, including England, Prussia, Scotland, and the Uni ...
sentiments, began publishing articles about the upcoming event in an uncharacteristically positive tone, with several articles written by Catholic priests. Various
civic groups in the city, including the
Chicago Association of Commerce, organized several dozen committees to prepare for the event, while transportation companies also made arrangements. For instance, the
Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad
The Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad (CRI&P RW, sometimes called ''Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railway'') was an American Class I railroad. It was also known as the Rock Island Line, or, in its final years, The Rock.
At the end ...
announced that their trains transporting people to the congress would come equipped with a "special missionary mass kit" that contained equipment needed for a priest to perform mass, such as a
chalice
A chalice (from Latin 'mug', borrowed from Ancient Greek () 'cup') or goblet is a footed cup intended to hold a drink. In religious practice, a chalice is often used for drinking during a ceremony or may carry a certain symbolic meaning.
Re ...
and
vestment
Vestments are liturgical garments and articles associated primarily with the Christian religion, especially by Eastern Churches, Catholics (of all rites), Anglicans, and Lutherans. Many other groups also make use of liturgical garments; this ...
s. Additional rail lines that serviced travelers to the congress included the
Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie Railroad, the
Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad
The Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad (CMStP&P), often referred to as the "Milwaukee Road" , was a Class I railroad that operated in the Midwest and Northwest of the United States from 1847 until 1986.
The company experienced ...
, the
Chicago and North Western Railroad
The Chicago and North Western was a Class I railroad in the Midwestern United States. It was also known as the "North Western". The railroad operated more than of track at the turn of the 20th century, and over of track in seven states befor ...
, and the
Chicago North Shore and Milwaukee Railroad
The Chicago North Shore and Milwaukee Railroad (reporting mark CNSM), also known as the North Shore Line, was an interurban railroad that operated passenger and freight service over an route between the Chicago Loop and downtown Milwaukee, as w ...
. As part of the congress, over 3,000 priests were called to attend to
confessions, and
religious sisters
A religious sister (abbreviated ''Sr.'' or Sist.) in the Catholic Church is a woman who has taken public vows in a religious institute dedicated to apostolic works, as distinguished from a nun who lives a cloistered monastic life dedicated to pra ...
were requested to make over 4.5 million
hosts
A host is a person responsible for guests at an event or for providing hospitality during it.
Host may also refer to:
Places
*Host, Pennsylvania, a village in Berks County
People
*Jim Host (born 1937), American businessman
*Michel Host ( ...
to be used during masses. Also during the congress, the
Orchestra Hall movie theater
A movie theater (American English), cinema (British English), or cinema hall ( Indian English), also known as a movie house, picture house, the movies, the pictures, picture theater, the silver screen, the big screen, or simply theater is a ...
in the city played ''The Miracle at Lourdes'', a 1926 French film that dramatized the story of
Our Lady of Lourdes
Our Lady of Lourdes (french: Notre-Dame de Lourdes) is a title of the Virgin Mary. She is venerated under this title by the Roman Catholic church due to her apparitions that occurred in Lourdes, France. The first apparition of 11 February 1858, o ...
.
Papal delegation arrives
On June 6, a group consisting of 6 cardinals and 60 bishops, serving as the Pope's delegation to the congress, embarked from France to the United States aboard the
RMS ''Aquitania''. Cardinal
Giovanni Bonzano
Giovanni Vincenzo Cardinal Bonzano PIME (27 September 1867 – 26 November 1927) was an Italian Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church who served as Apostolic Delegate to United States from 1912 to 1922, and was elevated to the cardinalate ...
, the leader of this delegation, was to serve as the
papal legate
300px, A woodcut showing Henry II of England greeting the pope's legate.
A papal legate or apostolic legate (from the ancient Roman title ''legatus'') is a personal representative of the pope to foreign nations, or to some part of the Catholic ...
for the congress. The delegation arrived in
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
on June 16 and were received by
New York Governor
The governor of New York is the head of government of the U.S. state of New York. The governor is the head of the executive branch of New York's state government and the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces. The governor ha ...
Al Smith
Alfred Emanuel Smith (December 30, 1873 – October 4, 1944) was an American politician who served four terms as Governor of New York and was the Democratic Party's candidate for president in 1928.
The son of an Irish-American mother and a C ...
and
New York City Mayor Jimmy Walker
James John Walker (June 19, 1881November 18, 1946), known colloquially as Beau James, was mayor of New York City from 1926 to 1932. A flamboyant politician, he was a liberal Democrat and part of the powerful Tammany Hall machine. He was forced t ...
. They departed by train to Chicago from the city's
Grand Central Terminal
Grand Central Terminal (GCT; also referred to as Grand Central Station or simply as Grand Central) is a commuter rail terminal located at 42nd Street and Park Avenue in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. Grand Central is the southern terminus ...
that same day. The delegation's presence caused a crowd of several thousand spectators at the
terminal
Terminal may refer to:
Computing Hardware
* Terminal (electronics), a device for joining electrical circuits together
* Terminal (telecommunication), a device communicating over a line
* Computer terminal, a set of primary input and output dev ...
, and several thousand more spectators were present along the route from New York City to Chicago. The delegation reached Chicago the following day, where they were received by
Chicago Mayor
The mayor of Chicago is the chief executive of city government in Chicago, Illinois, the third-largest city in the United States. The mayor is responsible for the administration and management of various city departments, submits proposals and ...
William Emmett Dever
William Emmett Dever (March 13, 1862 – September 3, 1929) was the mayor of Chicago from 1923 to 1927. He had previously served as a judge and before that an alderman. As an alderman and judge he would work to become the Democratic candida ...
and 35
city aldermen. Large crowds gathered to see the delegation, and while there was
police
The police are a constituted body of persons empowered by a state, with the aim to enforce the law, to ensure the safety, health and possessions of citizens, and to prevent crime and civil disorder. Their lawful powers include arrest and t ...
presence to prevent disorder, multiple members of the crowd managed to
kiss
A kiss is the touch or pressing of one's lips against another person or an object. Cultural connotations of kissing vary widely. Depending on the culture and context, a kiss can express sentiments of love, passion, romance, sexual attraction, ...
Bonzano's
ecclesiastical ring
An ecclesiastical ring is a finger ring worn by clergy, such as a bishop's ring.
As pontifical accoutrements
In Western Christianity, rings are worn by bishops as well as other clerics who are given the privilege of wearing pontifical vestment ...
. Bonzano was escorted by Mundelein to
Holy Name Cathedral, where he gave a
blessing
In religion, a blessing (also used to refer to bestowing of such) is the impartation of something with grace, holiness, spiritual redemption, or divine will.
Etymology and Germanic paganism
The modern English language term ''bless'' likely ...
. Speaking later to the ''Chicago Tribune'', Bonzano had the following to say regarding the city and the importance of the event:
A program for the congress listed the arrival of the papal legate as the "unofficial opening" of the congress. Before the event, the cardinals held a
press conference
A press conference or news conference is a media event in which notable individuals or organizations invite journalists to hear them speak and ask questions. Press conferences are often held by politicians, corporations, non-governmental organ ...
at the
Drake Hotel. On June 18, the papal delegation was formally welcomed at the
Chicago Coliseum
Chicago Coliseum was the name applied to three large indoor arenas in Chicago, Illinois, which stood successively from the 1860s to 1982; they served as venues for sports events, large (national-class) conventions and as exhibition halls. The f ...
in an event attended by numerous elected officials and prominent citizens. A greeting from
President of the United States
The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United Stat ...
Calvin Coolidge
Calvin Coolidge (born John Calvin Coolidge Jr.; ; July 4, 1872January 5, 1933) was the 30th president of the United States from 1923 to 1929. Born in Vermont, Coolidge was a History of the Republican Party (United States), Republican lawyer ...
was read to a crowd of 12,000 gathered at the Coliseum by
United States Secretary of Labor
The United States Secretary of Labor is a member of the Cabinet of the United States, and as the head of the United States Department of Labor, controls the department, and enforces and suggests laws involving unions, the workplace, and all ot ...
James J. Davis
James John Davis (October 27, 1873November 22, 1947) was a Wales, Welsh-born American businessman, author and Republican Party (United States), Republican Party politician in Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He served as United States Secre ...
.
Illinois Governor Len Small
Lennington "Len" Small (June 16, 1862 – May 17, 1936) was an American politician who served as the 26th Governor of Illinois from 1921 to 1929. He previously was a member of the Illinois state senate from the 16th District from 1901 to 1903 a ...
was also present, while
business magnate
A business magnate, also known as a tycoon, is a person who has achieved immense wealth through the ownership of multiple lines of enterprise. The term characteristically refers to a powerful entrepreneur or investor who controls, through perso ...
Samuel Insull
Samuel Insull (November 11, 1859 – July 16, 1938) was a British-born American business magnate. He was an innovator and investor based in Chicago who greatly contributed to create an integrated electrical infrastructure in the United States ...
greeted the delegation on behalf of Protestants and non-Catholics. The following day, the delegation was given a
sight-seeing tour of the city.
Course of the event
![179, Holy Name Cathedral (NBY 9162)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cb/179%2C_Holy_Name_Cathedral_%28NBY_9162%29.jpg)
On June 20, a Sunday, at churches throughout the
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago
The Archdiocese of Chicago ( la, Archidiœcesis Chicagiensis) is a Latin Church ecclesiastical jurisdiction or archdiocese of the Catholic Church located in Northeastern Illinois, in the United States. It was established as a diocese in 1843 an ...
, over 260 bishops participated in
holy hour
Holy Hour () is the Roman Catholic devotional tradition of spending an hour in Eucharistic adoration in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament. A plenary indulgence is granted for this practice. The practice is also observed in some Lutheran churc ...
s, with the ''
Chicago New World'' commenting that there was "a
prelate
A prelate () is a high-ranking member of the Christian clergy who is an ordinary or who ranks in precedence with ordinaries. The word derives from the Latin , the past participle of , which means 'carry before', 'be set above or over' or 'pref ...
for every pulpit". The congress officially began that day with a large
procession
A procession is an organized body of people walking in a formal or ceremonial manner.
History
Processions have in all peoples and at all times been a natural form of public celebration, as forming an orderly and impressive ceremony. Religious ...
that included representatives from all attending
religious order
A religious order is a lineage of communities and organizations of people who live in some way set apart from society in accordance with their specific religious devotion, usually characterized by the principles of its founder's religious practi ...
s, 750 students from
Quigley Preparatory Seminary
Archbishop Quigley Preparatory Seminary was an American seminary preparatory school administered by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago for young men considering the priesthood. Located in downtown Chicago at 103 East Chestnut Street, a ...
, 500
monsignor
Monsignor (; it, monsignore ) is an honorific form of address or title for certain male clergy members, usually members of the Roman Catholic Church. Monsignor is the apocopic form of the Italian ''monsignore'', meaning "my lord". "Monsignor" ca ...
s, 300 bishops, 60
archbishop
In Christian denominations, an archbishop is a bishop of higher rank or office. In most cases, such as the Catholic Church, there are many archbishops who either have jurisdiction over an ecclesiastical province in addition to their own archdi ...
s, and 10 cardinals. The procession was watched by approximately 250,000 spectators and was regarded as being one of the largest gathering of prelates in modern times outside of Rome.
Loudspeaker
A loudspeaker (commonly referred to as a speaker or speaker driver) is an electroacoustic transducer that converts an electrical audio signal into a corresponding sound. A ''speaker system'', also often simply referred to as a "speaker" or " ...
s, a relatively recent invention, were used in the procession, which was also broadcast via
radio
Radio is the technology of signaling and communicating using radio waves. Radio waves are electromagnetic waves of frequency between 30 hertz (Hz) and 300 gigahertz (GHz). They are generated by an electronic device called a transmit ...
and aired at churches across the United States. The
Chicago Symphony Orchestra
The Chicago Symphony Orchestra (CSO) was founded by Theodore Thomas in 1891. The ensemble makes its home at Orchestra Hall in Chicago and plays a summer season at the Ravinia Festival. The music director is Riccardo Muti, who began his tenure ...
, accompanied by a
choir
A choir ( ; also known as a chorale or chorus) is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform. Choirs may perform music from the classical music repertoire, which ...
composed of choral members from both Saint Mary of the Lake and Quigley, performed for the congress's opening mass at Holy Name Cathedral, playing a piece written by New York City-based
composer
A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music.
Etymology and Defi ...
Pietro Yon
Pietro Alessandro Yon (August 8, 1886 – November 22, 1943) was an Italian-born organist and composer who made his career in the United States.
Early life
Yon was born in Settimo Vittone, (Piedmont, Italy). His earliest studies in music beg ...
.
The second day, deemed Children's Day, featured a large mass held at Soldier Field. With over 400,000 participants either in the
stadium
A stadium ( : stadiums or stadia) is a place or venue for (mostly) outdoor sports, concerts, or other events and consists of a field or stage either partly or completely surrounded by a tiered structure designed to allow spectators to stand o ...
or in the surrounding area, the mass featured a choir composed of 62,000 children. Dubbed by the ''Chicago New World'' as "the world's largest choir", the children represented 325
schools in the archdiocese, and they sang "Mass of the Angels", a piece from the 12th Century.
Seminarian
A seminary, school of theology, theological seminary, or divinity school is an educational institution for educating students (sometimes called ''seminarians'') in scripture, theology, generally to prepare them for ordination to serve as clergy, ...
s from Saint Mary of the Lake, accompanied by members of the
Order of St. Gregory the Great
The Pontifical Equestrian Order of St. Gregory the Great ( la, Ordo Sancti Gregorii Magni; it, Ordine di San Gregorio Magno) was established on 1 September 1831, by Pope Gregory XVI, seven months after his election as Pope.
The order is one of ...
and the
Knights of Malta, led the procession for the mass. The third day, Women's Day, saw a general meeting held again at Soldier Field attended by approximately 250,000 women, which included approximately 20,000 religious sisters. Two choirs composed, respectively, of 6,000
nun
A nun is a woman who vows to dedicate her life to religious service, typically living under vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience in the enclosure of a monastery or convent.''The Oxford English Dictionary'', vol. X, page 599. The term is o ...
s and 3,500 women members of local choirs sang a mass written by composer
Vito Carnevali. In the evening, approximately 225,000 men (with approximately 50,000 more outside the stadium) processed into Soldier Field, each holding a candle, which was the only source of light as they listened to
sermon
A sermon is a religious discourse or oration by a preacher, usually a member of clergy. Sermons address a scriptural, theological, or moral topic, usually expounding on a type of belief, law, or behavior within both past and present contexts. El ...
s. On June 23, deemed Higher Education Day, a mass written by
Johann Baptist Singenberger was performed by 3,000 high school and college students.
June 24 was the final day of the congress, with closing events scheduled to take place at the
campus
A campus is traditionally the land on which a college or university and related institutional buildings are situated. Usually a college campus includes libraries, lecture halls, residence halls, student centers or dining halls, and park-like se ...
of Saint Mary of the Lake Seminary (now known as the University of Saint Mary of the Lake) in nearby
Mundelein, Illinois
Mundelein is a village in Lake County, Illinois, United States and a northern suburb of Chicago. Per the 2020 census, the population was 31,560. It is approximately thirty-five miles northwest of Chicago.
History
The community now known as M ...
. (The town was named in honor of Cardinal Mundelein in 1925, and the university is also known as Mundelein Seminary.) The mass movement of people from Chicago to this nearby town was immense, with roads between Mundelein and Chicago temporarily becoming
one-way roads. Approximately 18,000 cars traveled from Chicago to Mundelein, and 820 trains consisting of 5,200
train car
A railroad car, railcar ( American and Canadian English), railway wagon, railway carriage, railway truck, railwagon, railcarriage or railtruck (British English and UIC), also called a train car, train wagon, train carriage or train truck, is ...
s ran between the two cities, with one train arriving in Mundelein every 40 seconds over an 8-hour period. The Chicago North Shore and Milwaukee Railroad claimed that one of their trains were arriving in Mundelein every two minutes. Twelve
first aid tent
An aid station is a temporary facility (often a frame tent, tent, table, or general rest area) established to provide supplies to endurance event participants or medical first aid and provisions during major events, disaster response situations, o ...
s were set up around the campus, as were several
drinking fountain
A drinking fountain, also called a water fountain or water bubbler, is a fountain designed to provide drinking water. It consists of a basin with either continuously running water or a tap. The drinker bends down to the stream of water and s ...
s. At 4 a.m., when the gates of the seminary opened, 12,000 were waiting to enter.
The
Solemn Pontifical Mass
A Pontifical High Mass, also called Solemn Pontifical Mass, is a Solemn or High Mass celebrated by a bishop using certain prescribed ceremonies. Although in modern English the word "pontifical" is almost exclusively associated with the pope, an ...
was scheduled for 10 a.m. and was set to take place on the front steps of the seminary's
chapel
A chapel is a Christian place of prayer and worship that is usually relatively small. The term has several meanings. Firstly, smaller spaces inside a church that have their own altar are often called chapels; the Lady chapel is a common ty ...
so that everyone in attendance could witness the mass. In preparation for this, a
crimson
Crimson is a rich, deep red color, inclining to purple.
It originally meant the color of the kermes dye produced from a scale insect, ''Kermes vermilio'', but the name is now sometimes also used as a generic term for slightly bluish-red colo ...
drape
Drapery is a general word referring to cloths or textiles (Old French , from Late Latin ). It may refer to cloth used for decorative purposes – such as around windows – or to the trade of retailing cloth, originally mostly for clothin ...
covered the front doors and served as a backdrop for a white altar erected on the front steps.
Architect
An architect is a person who plans, designs and oversees the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to provide services in connection with the design of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the buildings that h ...
Joseph W. McCarthy Joseph William McCarthy, AIA, was an architect in the early 20th century most famous for his work on buildings for the Roman Catholic Church. He was born in Jersey City, New Jersey, on June 22, 1884, and attended Holy Innocents School in New York C ...
, who had designed the seminary, worked with the organizers to design decorations for the event. The mass was said by Cardinals Bonzano and
Patrick Joseph Hayes
Patrick Joseph Hayes (November 20, 1867 – September 4, 1938) was an American cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of New York from 1919 until his death, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1924.
Early life and ...
of the
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York
The Archdiocese of New York ( la, Archidiœcesis Neo-Eboracensis) is an ecclesiastical territory or archdiocese of the Catholic Church ( particularly the Roman Catholic or Latin Church) located in the State of New York. It encompasses the borough ...
. The end of the congress came with a eucharistic procession, starting and ending at the chapel and going for about through the seminary.
Acolyte
An acolyte is an assistant or follower assisting the celebrant in a religious service or procession. In many Christian denominations, an acolyte is anyone performing ceremonial duties such as lighting altar candles. In others, the term is used f ...
s spread
rose
A rose is either a woody perennial flowering plant of the genus ''Rosa'' (), in the family Rosaceae (), or the flower it bears. There are over three hundred species and tens of thousands of cultivars. They form a group of plants that can be ...
petal
Petals are modified Leaf, leaves that surround the reproductive parts of flowers. They are often advertising coloration, brightly colored or unusually shaped to attract pollinators. All of the petals of a flower are collectively known as the ''c ...
s in front of the procession, which was led by Bonzano holding the
Blessed Sacrament
The Blessed Sacrament, also Most Blessed Sacrament, is a devotional name to refer to the body and blood of Christ in the form of consecrated sacramental bread and wine at a celebration of the Eucharist. The term is used in the Latin Church of the ...
. The procession stretched for nearly and consisted of 12 cardinals, 275 archbishops and bishops, and 100 monsignors, among many others. The ''
Chicago Daily News
The ''Chicago Daily News'' was an afternoon daily newspaper in the midwestern United States, published between 1875 and 1978 in Chicago, Illinois.
History
The ''Daily News'' was founded by Melville E. Stone, Percy Meggy, and William Dougherty ...
'', which covered the closing day ceremony, was able to print photographs of the event in their paper that same day by transporting the photographs via
airplane
An airplane or aeroplane (informally plane) is a fixed-wing aircraft that is propelled forward by thrust from a jet engine, propeller, or rocket engine. Airplanes come in a variety of sizes, shapes, and wing configurations. The broad spe ...
. The poet
Carl Sandburg
Carl August Sandburg (January 6, 1878 – July 22, 1967) was an American poet, biographer, journalist, and editor. He won three Pulitzer Prizes: two for his poetry and one for his biography of Abraham Lincoln. During his lifetime, Sandburg ...
was also in attendance throughout the congress as a journalist of the ''Chicago Daily News''.
Newsreels
The congress as a whole was covered by two
newsreel
A newsreel is a form of short documentary film, containing news stories and items of topical interest, that was prevalent between the 1910s and the mid 1970s. Typically presented in a cinema, newsreels were a source of current affairs, informa ...
organizations,
International Newsreel and
Fox Film Corporation
The Fox Film Corporation (also known as Fox Studios) was an American Independent film production studio formed by William Fox (1879–1952) in 1915, by combining his earlier Greater New York Film Rental Company and Box Office Attractions Film ...
. Both companies gave
private screening
A public screening is the showing of moving pictures to an audience in a public place. The event screened may be live or recorded, free or paid, and may use film, video, or a broadcast method such as satellite or closed-circuit television. Popular ...
s of their footage to church officials, with Bonzano approving of the films and Cardinal
Patrick O'Donnell of
Ireland
Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...
giving the films his blessing, and additional cuts with Italian
intertitle
In films, an intertitle, also known as a title card, is a piece of filmed, printed text edited into the midst of (i.e., ''inter-'') the photographed action at various points. Intertitles used to convey character dialogue are referred to as "dialo ...
s were prepared for Pope Pius XI. Fox Film, in a deal brokered between the church and publisher Martin Quigley (publisher), Martin Quigley, created a full-length documentary for the event for which all profits would go to the Catholic Church, which also held the copyright to the film. The 96-minute movie, heralded by Doherty as "the first premapped feature-length record of an unfolding historical event", premiered at New Century Theatre, Al Jolson's Theater in New York City on November 8 before a sell-out crowd. A message from President Coolidge was delivered at the premiere by Secretary of Labor Davis, while president Will H. Hays of the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America also spoke.
Attendance
While exact figures for the attendance at the congress are debatable, almost all sources agree that the congress attracted several hundred thousand attendees. In his request to Pope Pius XI, Mundelein stated that the congress would attract 1 million attendees. This number was repeated in a 1926 issue of ''Railway Age'' and subsequently claimed in a 2009 book by historian Liam T. A. Ford. A 1926 article published in ''The New York Times'' states that up to 1 million people were expected to attend the closing ceremony at Saint Mary of the Lake Seminary. A 2017 article in the ''Chicago Catholic'' similarly claims that "[a]bout 1 million people" attended the closing mass. However, a 1999 article in the ''National Catholic Register'' claims that the closing session was attended by approximately 850,000 people, while the opening session was attended by approximately 1.5 million individuals. A 2019 article published by the University of Saint Mary of the Lake uses a similar value of "more than 800,000" attendees at the closing ceremony. In a 2007 book, historian Thomas Doherty claims that the city at the time was home to approximately 880,000 Catholics and attracted over 500,000 additional Catholics to the city. According to contemporary records from the ''Chicago New World'', approximately 8.3 million people participated in the congress from the arrival of the papal delegation on June 17. However, this number is most likely inflated due to double counting (accounting), double counting.
Impact and legacy
The congress was considered a significant moment in the
history of the Catholic Church in the United States
The Catholic Church in the United States began in the colonial era, but by the mid-1800's, most of the Spanish, French, and Mexican influences had institutionally and demographically faded, owing to the Louisiana Purchase (1803) and the Treaty o ...
. Doherty claims that "[f]or American Catholics, the 28th International Eucharistic Congress was more than a celebration of faith. It was a graduation ceremony." He argues that the success of the event helped push Catholics in the country from the margins of society to the mainstream. A 2000 article in the ''Chicago Tribune'' echoes these sentiments, stating that "the 1926 Eucharistic Congress ushered in an era of cultural power and institutional success for the church in Chicago". The University of Saint Mary of the Lake claims that this event, along with the World's Columbian Exposition in 1893 and the Century of Progress
world's fair
A world's fair, also known as a universal exhibition or an expo, is a large international exhibition designed to showcase the achievements of nations. These exhibitions vary in character and are held in different parts of the world at a specif ...
of 1933–34, "put Chicago 'on the map' in its early life." Doherty makes a similar connection between the congress and the city's world's fairs, saying "Not since the storied World's Columbian Exposition of 1893 had the Second City hosted such first-class festivities." Ford claims that a mass held at Soldier Field during the congress may actually hold the record for largest single event held at the stadium, a record officially held by a Catholic Holy Hour event that happened in 1954.
![Benedictine Convent of Perpetual Adoration (NBY 5606)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/80/Benedictine_Convent_of_Perpetual_Adoration_%28NBY_5606%29.jpg)
Following the congress, the Benedictine Sisters of Perpetual Adoration were invited to build a chapel near the Saint Mary of the Lake campus in Libertyville, Illinois. The chapel, called Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament Chapel, was completed in 1932. In 1978, the chapel became the home for Conventual Franciscans who bought the chapel from the sisters and continue to operate it today. The chapel is also the national center for the Militia Immaculata.
While attending the congress, Bishop Philip R. McDevitt of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg convinced bishops from Ireland that a eucharistic congress could be beneficial for their country, ultimately leading to Dublin hosting the Eucharistic Congress of Dublin (1932), 31st International Eucharistic Congress in 1932.
Notes
References
Sources
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Further reading
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External links
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1920s in Chicago, International Eucharistic Congress, 28th
1926 conferences, International Eucharistic Congress
1926 in Christianity, International Eucharistic Congress
1926 in Illinois, International Eucharistic Congress
June 1926 events, International Eucharistic Congress
20th-century Catholicism
Catholic Church in the United States
Eucharistic congresses
History of Chicago
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago
{{Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago, state=collapsed