"Stealing" St Patrick in Mt Adams

On my way to show one of our apartments on Oregon Street I saw men in kilts and other tell tale signs that today is the day the statue of St Patrick would be "stolen", a 34 year old tradition for the Catholic Church (Holy Cross Immaculata) in our neighborhood.

So when I got home I asked spouse,, who was assembling his file cabinet, if he wanted to go to Crowley's to watch the parade. Fortunately for me I married a fun man who was willing to drop a project for this event. As I am typing this blog entry and watching Olympics pairs ice skating d he is upstairs assembling his file cabinet right now.

Here is how Wikipedia describes this tradition: "Each year in February members of the Ancient Order of Hibernians knock on the (Immaculata) church door and ask permission to remove the statue of St. Patrick. The Priest invokes the intercession of St. Patrick and with bagpipes leading the way the 6' statue of St Patrick leaves the church and starts a Mini Parade through Mt Adams."

Some background history: Immaculata Church (1850) traditionally served people of German descent. In our neighborhood you can guess who were the original owners of the old home because the Germans generally built brick homes and the Irish built frame.

Next picture is of spouse in Crowley's which is across the street from Immaculata so this is where we went to wait to watch. We were about an hour early and this scene changed completely an hour later.

A picture of Spec's Crowley (another post) the original owner and quite a character.

The bagpipers heading down Fuller Street (picture taken from inside Crowley's). I didn't have time to run outside by the time we heard the bagpipes play but I caught them on their way back to the church. Father Marty in the green robe between the white robed alter boys.

The 6' tall St Patrick Statue being "stolen". Bagpipers and Hibernians.

An exterior picture of Immaculata

Interior of Immaculata.

Grotto

Sometime in the 1890's the population of Mt Adams warranted another Catholic Church. So the Irish Catholics dedicated the old Observatory in 1895 and established Holy Cross Church. Here is an interior and exterior shot.

And just for comparison here is our little Protestant Church, Pilgrim Chapel which was dedicated in 1888.

So now it is 8PM and our neighbor Nancy just stopped by to return my coin purse that I accidentally left at Crowley's. I had no idea I was even missing this item until I opened our door to her holding it and asking me if I was missing anything. My coin purse has my license, AMEX, ATM, insurance card, $35 and change. I guess I was more interested in taking pictures than my personal belongings.