The Express.
London, England, 1855-04-23 00:00:00

THE POPE'S NARROW ESCAPE.

(PROM THI

(DENT OP PRE DAILY NEWS)
_ _ ROME, APRIL 14.

The day before yesterday his Holiness was u
nearly as possible crushed to death in the monastery
of St. Agnes extra moms, where he had been dining
with a select party of cardinals and prelates, besides
the dignitaries of his household, and the French and
Austrian generals commanding at Rome and Ancona,
De Montreal and Hoyos. The accident occurred as
follows :—The Pope having for some time entertained
a strong wish to visit the Alexandrine basilica and
catacombs recently discovered about seven miles from
Rome, on the Coazzo estate, belonging to the Pro-
paganda College, fixed upon Thursday, the 12th inst.,
for examining the excavations, and invited Cardinals
Marini, Patrizi, Schwarzenberg, Archbishop of
Prague, Carvalho, Patriarch of Lisbon and a great
antiquarian, Antonelli, as well as several prelate?,
amongst whom the Prince Archbishop of Vienna,
the Archbishop of Dublin, and the Bishops
of Verona, Newport, and Burlington, besides
the two generals and eomo diplomatists and
laymen of rank, to accompany him in his visit to
the venerable remnants of early Christian architec-
ture. It so happened that the Roman steeplechases
were to take place on the same day, and the course
was on the same road as that to be followed by the
Papal cortfge, which induced Prince Doria, the pre-
sident of the racing committee, to wait on hisHolinem
to inquire whether the races had not be better put
off to another day, but Pio Nono, with his custommy
affability, requested that the public might not be dir
appointed, and the only change made was conse-
quently one in the hour, so as to give his Holiness
time to get back from the catacombs before the
amateurs of horseflesh blocked up the whole road.
The Pope having visited with great interest the
catacombs, the oratories of Saints Alexander and
Eventius, and the ancient Presbytery, where inscrip-
tions had been placed in his honour, sat down in the
venerable marble episcopal chair, and addressed
a discourse to the pupils of the Propaganda College
present, exhorting them to a courageous discharge of
their missionary duties. His Holiness then inspected
the several burying-places of martyrs, and distributed
relics to those persons around him; after which he
examined the plans presented him for the erection of
a new church on the spot, admired the beautiful
mosaic pavement just excavated and offered to him
by the Propaganda College (which is to be placed in
the Vatican), and having expressed his entire stir
faction at all he had seen, prepared to return to the
moautery of St. Agnes. Whilst proceeding myself
to the more profane amusement of the steeplechase
had an opportunity of meeeing the Pope and all his
suite—cardinals, generals, and prelates included.
The day was moat lovely ; and Pio Nono, radiant
with pleasure, looked as handsome and affable as
ever, giving his gracious benediction to the numerous
racing partisans hurrying in the opposite direction,
with a smile which seemed to say " Chacun (1 son
Son
In the cloister of the monastery of St. Agnes his
Holiness entertained his distinguished guests et
dinner, in a large hall on the first floor, and sub-
sequently admitted the pupils of the ropagelndi
College to kiss his foot. At this moment about 150
persons were collected together around the Popes
when an awful tremor manifested itself in the floor-
ing, which hie Holiness instantly perceived, and en-
deavoured to prevent his guests from being alarmed
at, assuring them that it was the shock of an earth-
quake, a phenomenon with which his residence an
nuncio in South America had rendered him some-
what familiar. However, before any further con-
jectures were broached the floor gave way,
With hideous ruin and combustion dim,

and Pope, prelates, cardinals, generals,'solciiete, and
scholars, were precipitated through it, without order
of precedence, amongst filling beams and frapeats

bimasoary. Cardinal Anton.lli's good luck sand
him elope of all the cardinals present ; he was near
the window, to which he clung for support, bet kis
eminent brethren Marini and Patrisi wen @evenly
bjared in their fall, as was the French general, and
a great number of the Propaganda pupils. • Pio None
himself descended unhurt, and sitting in his Papal
chair, and was extricated from the wreck amidst ex-
clamations of miracolo ! miracolo! from all around.
In gratitude for such an escape, his Holiness forthwith
thvited all who were able to follow him to enter the
church, and with a load voice intoned a
thanks-
jiving to the Almighty, and afterwards receive:.
iheeenoital benediction from Monsignor Tizzsni.
Meanwhile the wounded were got out from the
ruins, and conveyed to ,Rome in carriages, much to
the surprise of the peaceful citizens who had assem-
bled at the gates, and were consternated to see so
many priests with their heads tied up. Some dis-
abled jockeys were expected from the steeplechase,
but it was supposed that the Pope'. excursion would
be by no means so dangerous. An Irish Propaganda
pupil boasts of having been the first to succour his
Holiness, the same youth who was reciting a congra-
tulatory sonnet to the Pope when the floor gave way,
and was consequently in immediate proximity during
the descent to the regions below. The great carpet,
which had been spread over the floor, is supposed to
have Ihroitvn the Pope'. fall by rendering it more
gradual, but, to whatever tutelar influence we may
choose to attribute it, his Holiness certainly did
escape safe and sound, and the Roman municipal
council and senate, viewing it in the light of • pro-
digy, have given orders for a devout thanksgiving to
the Immaculate Conception during three days, to
commence on Monday next.
The Pope's dogmatical definition will thus have
another celebration, in addition td that of last week,
when the Immaculate Conception was introduced
Into the Easter fireworks. The girandola was
entirely in character with the great ecclesiastical
event of the season. Innumerable fire balloons, in
the form of mitres, represented the congregation of
prelates, and an illuminated temple, column, and
statue of the " Immacolata," blazed forth with the
inscription .1 Vidimu- gloriam Otis."
As the topic of the Pope's escape engrosses all con-1
venation here, so it has engrossed all my sheet, and
I therefore leave the consideration of other subjects
until my next letter.