Rob- what a great question which I don't think we have ever pondered, hard to believe as we have dissected about everything else here at one time or another. I know Rev. Cunningham on the Minia was Anglican, from St. George's parish, which is rather the Church of England in America/Canada and his prayers for the Halifax victims were eloquent. Montmagny had Rev. Prince who was from St. Paul's Anglican and Father McQuillan was there from Saint Mary's Roman Catholic Basilica. In the United States the National Cathedral in Washington D.C. is Episcopalian, where Reagan's recent memorial service was held and where many services for departed American dignitaries seem to take place.
On May 2nd, four of the unidentified Halifax bodies were determined to be Roman Catholic and were sent to Mt. Olivet, a Rabbi (M. Walter) came to the morgue and claimed nine bodies as probably Jewish and so they were sent to Baron De Hirsch with suitable preparations in that faith. The Brunswick Methodist Church had a service on May 3rd for the "unidentifiable many" who went on to Fairview. This service was the one attended by White Star Line officials , local government and military people, including the ushers who were sailors from the HMCS Noble. The church was draped in traditional colors of mourning, black and purple and the Union Jack and the American flag were in front of the pulpit. When I tried to re-create something along the lines of this memorial service back in 1991 at Fairview, I read many newspaper articles on the services, and learned Mrs. Rood, who lost her husband, had given pink and white carnations for so many of the services, including this one at the Methodist church, and so the wreaths I made were as closely copied, including black and purple ribbons, as possible. There was also a presbyterian speaker at that 1912 service. While the service was in progress, the bodies were taken from the Mayflower rink and sent over to Fairlawn for burial services scheduled for 3 p.m. and was attended by clergy of several denominations for the commendation of the souls graveside. The crowd, which may have been as large as 800 sang Nearer Ny God to Thee at the close, accompanied by the Royal Canadian Regiment Band. Later one body from Fairview was exhumed as it was found to be Roman Catholic, and was moved to Mt. Olivet. The other four Catholics were remembered at a service at Saint Mary's Basilica in a solemn requiem Mass, also attended by White Star officials who followed after to the interment at Mt. Olivet. The last service was one of Evensong (in the Anglican-Episcopal tradition) given for the last body recovered, at All Saints Cathedral, for James McGrady who was recovered by the Algerine on June 6th, This service was held on June 11th and he was intered on the 12th at Fairview. The group of clergymen of various faiths formed what they called the "Evangelical Alliance" to make sure all the victims were represented in their own religious belief. Every effort was made to assure that aim. At Saint Paul's Anglican in Halifax, which is beautiful and still standing- an impressive service was held on Sunday, April 21st at St. Paul's and Rev, Prince prepared that Order of Service. Some of the best memorial coverage, including some amazing photographs of these proceedings can be found in
Alan Ruffman's book,
TITANIC REMEMBERED-The Unsinkable Ship and Halifax. Also well worth having is Blair Beed's book TITANIC VICTIMS in Halifax Graveyards. To get an idea of the Burial Service for the Anglicans, the Book of Common Prayer has the service, just make sure you get the right year as the book has had several revisions!
