Ash Wednesday, New York, 1884

OBSERVING ASH WEDNESDAY (The New York Times, February 28, 1884)

 Yesterday was Ash Wednesday, and the attendance at all the Catholic Churches in the morning was very large. At St. Patrick’s Cathedral the ashes were blessed by the Rev. Dr. C.E. McDonnell at 6:30 o’clock and distributed at all the Masses, the last one being said at 10:30 by the Rev. C.T. Donovan. The rpescribed ceremonial was very fully observed at St. Stephen’s Church, in East Twenty-eighth Street. The ususal number of Massses were ended with the solmen blessing of the ashes at 9 o’clock. After the Communion Dr. McGlynn made a short address on the season of Lent. During Lent Mass will be every morning at 10 o’clock in the Church of St. Francis Xavier, in West Sixteen Street, and during the month of March there wikk be devotions in honor of St. Joseph every evening at 8 o’clock.