500 Taken Ill After Monster Wedding Ceremony

106 COUPLES MARRY AT ONE ALTAR
Young Catholics' Answer To Divorce Publicity
MASS TRAGEDY FOLLOWED SWIFTLYON MASS REJOICING WHEN 106 FRENCH CANADIAN ROMAN CATFIOMC COUPLES WERE MARRIED IN THE BASEBALL STADIUM AT DE LORIMER PARK, MONTREAL, ON SUNDAY.
A crowd of 25,000 watched the marriage ceremony, which was planned by Canadian Catholic Workers " to offset the unfavourable publicity marriage is getting from the divorce courts."
• Many of the newly married couples and between 400 and 500 witnesses were taken ill and hurried off to hospital.
The cause of their illness is unknown but the Montreal police suspect that they had been Poisoned by one of the beverages served at the reception after the mass ceremony.
A member of one of the hospital staffs said, however, that he believed that indigestion brought en as a result of the excitement might have caused the illness.
The authorities have nevertheless institute( an inquiry.
Early on Sunday morning the brides and grooms heard Mass in St. ,Tames's Cathedral.
After _Mass they proceeded in a procession of motor-cars to the stadium.
The couples there ranged themselves over the arena, each couple raying a separate priet:.
After they were married they walked along a red carpet to an altar, while a " Wedding March " Waa played and the crowd cheered.
GREETINGS FROM THE POPE
At the altar they were all presented with greeting cards from the Pope.
The average age of the bridegrooms is 26 ; that of the brides is 23.
The ceremony is said to have caused a profound impression in Montreal.
The Rev. Henri !Toy, who was prominent in organising the ceremony, advised the couples to postpone the!_ honeymoons, believing they stand a better chance of happiness by starting their new life in their owi homes.