(From “Chronicle of the American Sisters of the Eastern Province of the Canonization of St. Louise” [1934], used with permission of the Daughters of Charity Provincial Archives)
March 12 [1934] – First day of the Triduum in honor of St. Louise. The Church of St. Andrea della Valle was the church designated for the Triduum, therefore, our first plan for the day was to be present at the Solemn Pontifical Mass to be sung at 11 A.M…. We reached there in ample time to see the preparations and to get in a few extra prayers … The Mass proceeded with a large number of attendants and much ceremony. The singing was beautiful … There was no sermon but during the lengthy singing of the Credo and the Gloria, the beautiful frescoes in the sanctuary, depicting the crucifixion and the burial of St. Andrew, gave much food for thought.
The main altar was draped from the dome to the altar with cloth of gold and scarlet velvet in the style of a royal canopy. In the center of this drapery was a large painting of St. Louise standing in an attitude of ecstasy. At her feet two angels hold large miraculous medals … Early supper and at 6:00 we were again at St. Andrea della Valle for the Rosary, Sermon, and Solemn Benediction. The entire service was marked by great dignity and ceremony … While we were in church the rain poured but luckily stopped long enough to let us get home. As the distance was not great some of us walked home and it was a strange experience to walk through the streets and narrow, ill-lighted “via” of Rome at eight o’clock at night.
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