The Holy Cross Cemetery & Mausoleum is a Roman Catholic cemetery located in Malden, Massachusetts, United States. It was established in 1868 and has over a half-million interments on 180 acres.[1]
History
editOn May 19, 1868, the Roman Catholic Cemetery Association was incorporated to obtain up to 100 acres of land in Malden "for a rural cemetery or burial ground, and for the erection of tombs, cenotaphs or other monuments, for or in memory of the dead." The officers of the corporation were Archbishop John Joseph Williams, Father George A. Hamilton, and Father George F. Haskins. Holy Cross Cemetery was consecrated on September 27, 1868.[2] A new chapel and mausoleum opened in 1984.[3]
Grave of Patrick J. Power
editIn October 1929, pilgrims began flocking to the grave of, Patrick J. Power, a 25-year old priest who died in 1869. The pilgrims believed that the rain water caught in the depression on Power's tomb had curative properties.[4] On November 10, 1929, between 100,000 and 150,000 people visited Power's grave. The tablet on his grave was damaged by the crowd and the gates were locked that night to keep the crowds out.[5] Hundreds of people camped outside of the cemetery that night to be the first ones inside in the morning. The following day, between 50,000 and 70,000 people prayed at Power's grave.[6] 100 officers from the Massachusetts State Police and the Malden, Everett, and Melrose police departments were brought in to keep order.[7] 40,000 people turned up on November 13 and 50,000 came on November 14.[8][9] Due to the large number of visitors, mayor John D. Devir deputized all cemetery employees as special police.[10] On November 15, rain shrunk the number of visitors to 10,000–15,000.[11] 30,000 people visited on November 16, including Cardinal William Henry O'Connell, who refused to comment on the alleged cures.[12] A record 200,000 people turned out on Sunday, November 17, including Boston's mayor-elect James Michael Curley and his ill wife. Malden's entire police reserve force was called out and reinforcements were received from the Massachusetts State Police and the Metropolitan District Mounted Police as well as from the city's fire department and local American Legion post.[13] The following day, boxer Jack Sharkey, who prayed for his partially blind daughter, was one of the 15,000 to 20,000 people who visited the grave the despite rain.[14][15] A weekday record of 40,000–55,000 pilgrims turned out on November 19, including the widow of Governor Curtis Guild Jr. That day, cemetery officials announced that starting the following week, Holy Cross would only be open between 7 am and 5 pm.[16][17] On November 22, Cardinal O'Connell announced that Holy Cross Cemetery would be closed to the public starting Monday (November 25) until the church could investigate the reported cures.[18] Between 100,000 and 150,000 people visited Power's grave on the last day the cemetery was opened to the public and hundreds were turned away in the following days.[19][20][21][22][23] On December 13, 1929, Power's body was relocated to a new grave in front of the cemetery's chapel surrounded by a 7-foot wire fence.[24][25] The cemetery was temporarily opened for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day to allow people to visit the graves of their family and friends, but several hundred people were turned away from Power's grave.[26][27] On April 2, 1930, cemetery officials announced that the cemetery would reopen but police would be on guard to prevent loitering at Power's grave.[28] Dozens of people still visit Power's grave each day.[29]
Notable interments
edit- Joseph Gaudentius Anderson, auxiliary bishop of Boston[30]
- Alexis Arapoff, painter[31]
- Charles Brickley, football player and coach[32]
- George Brickley, baseball and football player[33]
- John Cazale, actor[34]
- Tony Conigliaro, baseball player[35]
- Sammy Curran, baseball player[33]
- Dan Daly, actor[36]
- Gerard F. Doherty, state representative and chairman of the Massachusetts Democratic Party[37]
- Jim Donnelly, baseball player[33]
- Paddy Duffy, boxer[38]
- James Fitton, priest and missionary[39]
- Thomas A. Flaherty, member of the United States House of Representatives[40]
- Leo Hafford, baseball player and football coach[41]
- Jerry Hurley, baseball player[33]
- P. J. Kennedy, businessman and politician[42]
- Clementina Poto Langone, Boston civic leader[43]
- Frederick C. Langone, Boston city councilor[44]
- Martin Lomasney, political boss of Boston's West End[45]
- Toby Lyons, baseball player[33]
- Torbert Macdonald, member of the United States House of Representatives[46]
- Jeremiah Mahoney, Medal of Honor recipient[47]
- Jim McKeever, baseball player[48]
- John B. Moran, Suffolk County District Attorney[49]
- Barney Olsen, baseball player[33]
- Cyclone Ryan, baseball player[33]
- John Shea, baseball player[33]
- Jim Sullivan, baseball player[33]
- Joe Sullivan, baseball player[33]
- John Andrew Sullivan, member of the United States House of Representatives and the Boston Finance Commission[50]
- Frances Sweeney, journalist and activist[51]
- Peter Francis Tague, member of the United States House of Representatives and postmaster of Boston[52]
- Henry A. Walsh, priest[53]
References
edit- ^ Ogden, Tom (2018). Haunted Cemeteries. Globe Pequot. p. 197. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
- ^ Lester, Thomas (March 26, 2021). "A history of the Catholic Cemetery Association". The Pilot. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
- ^ Franklin, James L. (December 15, 1984). "Bishop to Preside at Chapel Dedication". The Boston Globe.
- ^ "Tomb of Priest Becomes Shrine for Afflicted Folk". The Boston Globe. October 31, 1929.
- ^ "Crowd at Shrine Damages Tablet". The Boston Globe. November 11, 1929.
- ^ "Abandons Crutches at Shrine". The Boston Globe. November 12, 1929.
- ^ "Throngs Seek Cure at Priest's Grave". The New York Times. November 12, 1923.
- ^ "Throng Hushed at Sight of Stretcher at Grave". The Boston Globe. November 14, 1929.
- ^ "50,000 Pray at Shrine; Several Report Cures". The Boston Globe. November 15, 1929.
- ^ "10,000 Brave Rain at Malden Shrine". The New York Times. November 16, 1929.
- ^ "Many Stayed All Night--Additional Partial Cures Reported". The Boston Globe. November 16, 1929.
- ^ "Cardinal Among 30,000 at Grave". The Boston Globe. November 17, 1920.
- ^ "200,000 Are Drawn to Malden 'Shrine'". The New York Times. November 18, 1929.
- ^ "Sharkey Kneels at Shrine Grave". The Boston Globe. November 19, 1929.
- ^ "Rain Brings Throng to 'Miracle' Tomb". The New York Times. November 19, 1929.
- ^ "Ban on Night Visits to Shrine Ordered". The Boston Globe. November 20, 1929.
- ^ "Stop Night Vigil at Grave". The New York Times. November 20, 1929.
- ^ "Malden Cemetery to Be Closed to Pilgrims; Cardinal O'Connell Will Investigate 'Cures'". The New York Times. November 23, 1929.
- ^ "100,000 Pilgrims Visit Shrine on Closing Day". The Boston Globe. November 25, 1929.
- ^ "150,000 at Shrine for Last Chance". The New York Times. November 25, 1909.
- ^ "Turn Away 200 at Shrine Gates". The Boston Globe. November 26, 1929.
- ^ "200 Again Refused Entrance to Shrine". The Boston Globe. November 28, 1929.
- ^ "500 Attempt Visit to Grave of Priest". The Boston Globe. December 16, 1929.
- ^ "Body of Fr Power Moved at Malden". The Boston Globe. December 14, 1929.
- ^ "Father Power Reburied". The New York Times. December 14, 1929.
- ^ "Cemetery at Malden to be Opened 2 Days". The New York Times. December 24, 1929.
- ^ "Reopen Malden Cemetery". The New York Times. December 25, 1929.
- ^ "Cemetery to Reopen; Power Plot Guarded". The Boston Globe. April 3, 1930.
- ^ Porter, Bill (February 5, 2006). "An Enduring Shrine to Hope". The Boston Globe.
- ^ "Bishop Anderson Buried in Malden". The Boston Globe. July 6, 1927.
- ^ "Funeral Planned for Alexis Arapoff". Fitchburg Sentinel. Fitchburg, Massachusetts. 27 September 1948. p. 3. Retrieved 19 August 2017.
- ^ "Stars of Sports, Public Officials Mourn Brickley". The Boston Globe. January 3, 1950.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Players by place of burial: Massachusetts Baseball Stats and Info". Baseball Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
- ^ "John Cazale: Irish American Hollywood icon". Irish Central. 10 January 2022. Retrieved February 12, 2022.
- ^ Berkow, Ira (March 3, 1990). "A Shooting Star Named Tony C". The New York Times. Retrieved May 17, 2017.
- ^ "Funeral of Dan Daly". The New York Times. March 31, 1904.
- ^ Marquard, Bryan (June 21, 2020). "Gerard Doherty, a last link to all three Kennedy presidential campaigns, dies at 92". The Boston Globe.
- ^ "Paddy Duffy at Rest". The Boston Globe. July 14, 1890.
- ^ The Holy Cross Purple. Worcester, MA: College of the Holy Cross. 1910. p. 316. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
- ^ "T. A. Flaherty, Ex-Charlestown Congressman". The Boston Globe. April 29, 1965.
- ^ Lee, Bill (2015). The Baseball Necrology. McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers. p. 164. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
- ^ Rachlin, Harvey (1986). The Kennedys: A Chronological History, 1823 to Present. World Almanac. p. 24. ISBN 0-345-33729-8.
- ^ "Mrs. Langone, Civic Leader, Dies at 67". The Boston Globe. April 21, 1967.
- ^ Long, Tom (June 26, 2001). "Frederick C. Langone, at 79; Colorful Boston City Council". The Boston Globe.
- ^ "Brother to Contest Will of Lomasney; Joseph Left $3000 Yearly Income and $2500 Cash by Martin, West End Politician". The Boston Globe. September 21, 1933.
- ^ "Dignitaries attend Macdonald services". The Boston Globe. May 29, 1976.
- ^ Congressional Medal of Honor Society
- ^ "Jim McKeever Player Register". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved May 20, 2022.
- ^ "Funeral of John B. Moran". The Boston Globe. February 19, 1909.
- ^ "Last Tribute Paid John A. Sullivan". The Boston Globe. June 4, 1927.
- ^ "Frances Sweeney: Services on Wednesday for Racial Unity Leader". The Boston Globe. June 20, 1944. Archived from the original on 2 February 2017.
- ^ "Postmaster Tague Dies Suddenly at Convention Here". The Boston Globe. September 18, 1941.
- ^ "Rev Henry Walsh of Dedham buried". The Boston Globe. February 6, 1929. p. 13. Retrieved September 25, 2019.