Old-Time Orleans, Vol. 1, Issue 18

Taken in 1932, this image shows a procession at St. Mary’s Assumption Parish in the Village of Albion.

Located at the intersection of Brown and Moore Streets, we see a number of men lining up in the street with a number of parishioners exiting the front of the church. Considering the clothing worn by those exiting the church, this is likely an image of a First Holy Eucharist celebration.

At the time, the parish had several societies for men and women. The banner, front and center, depicts the Virgin Mary and baby Jesus and reads, “Queen Confessors, Pray for Us.” On the obverse side is an image of St. Joseph, which reads, “Society of St. Joseph, February 1, 1903, Albion, New York.”

The beautiful handmade banner was constructed of green cloth with gold braiding and accents. The banner carried behind represented the Sacred Heart Society.

The buildings located along the left side of the street were torn down in the 1950s. The space is currently used as a parking lot. The Cobblestone Museum received the 1903 Society of St. Joseph banner as part of a generous donation in December of 2014.