XXVIII International Eucharistic Congress [Chicago]

Four days in Chicago for the 28th Eucharistic Congress!

This eclectic group of ephemera was distributed to select Catholic participants in the 28th International Eucharistic Congress, held in Chicago, Illinois between June 20-24, 1926. As the first International Eucharistic Congress (they began in 1881) held in the United States, the event saw an estimated attendance of several hundred thousand visitors, including a papal delegation of 6 cardinals and 60 bishops.

The collection includes an official program, first-aid information (in numerous languages), a map of the Chicago Surface lines, a Chicago & Northwestern Railway pamphlet and two programs for conference excursion. The last present information on a pilgrimage to the National Shrine of the ‘Little Flower’ (canonized the year prior) and a map to the St. Mary of the Lake Seminary in Mundelein. According to the University of Dayton;

“The Eucharistic congress was a milestone in the history not only of Chicago, but of Catholics in the United States. American Catholics had faced prejudice and discrimination since the beginning days of the country, with many doubting whether a faithful Catholic could also be a good American citizen. The success of the congress rested on the cooperation of the city government, local businesses, the media, and everyday people. By hosting the congress, Chicago demonstrated its growing tolerance of Catholics and its growth as a major city.”

Source: University of Dayton