The Sun.
London, England, 1864-01-02 00:00:00

CHRISTMAS AT ROME.

A communication from Rome of Dec. 26 contains
tha following :—" The Christmas festivities yester-
day were favoured with great splendour in the
Church of St. Peter's, where the Holy Father
solemnly officiated at the morning mass. Formerly
the Popes presided personally at each of the three
masses which are celebrated on this day. At mid-
night they went to perform the service at Santa-
Maria-Maggiore, where the portion of the manger
of our Saviour is kept, and were present at matins.
From Santa-Maria-Maggiore they repaired at day-
break to Santa-Anastasia to celebrate the morning
mass; and thence they proceeded in great pomp to
the Church of St. Peter's for the grand mass of the
day. Before the tomb of the Holy Apostles, the
1,362 tapers of the famous silver candelabra were lit
up. The Pope is now present on his throne at mid-
night, and only celebrates in public day the mass.
The number of the faithful who filled the vast
Church of St. Peter's at the papal mass was immense.
Foreigners flocked there by thousands, and invaded
all points from which could be seen the altar of the
Confession, the throne of the Holy Father, and the
chairs on which are seated the cardinals, patriarchs,
archbishops, and prelates of the Roman Court, wear-
ing their splendid ornaments. The reserved seats
were filled with ladies of distinction, the superior
functionaries of the different administrations, and
the generals and officers of the army and navy. The
Diplomatic Body occupied its post of honour, and in
the prince's tribune were seen the King of Naples,
the Queen Dowager, and the princes and princesses,
her children. The Holy Father, after having put
on the pontifical ornaments in the Piety Chapel, took
his aeat on the sedia gestatoria,' the tiara on his
head, and then commenced that magnificent proces-
sion of bishops, archbishops, and cardinals, which
gives to the festivals at Rome that air of dignity,
majesty, and grandeur of which those who have not
been spectators can form no idea. Before the Pope
stood two dignitaries of the Pontifical Court bearing
the 'stocco' and ' berrettone' which had been blessed
during the night. The 'stocco,' as is well known,
is a superb sword, and the barrettone' a kind of
cap or helmet, both of which are studded with pre-
cious stones ; these two objects are presented by the
Pontiffs to the princes who have gained the greatest
victories or rendered the most important services to
the Catholic religion. For some time past the Holy
See has not met with an occasion for giving these
precious testimonies of its gratitude. The mass
terminated with the solemn benediction of the Holy
Father from the great altar and the granting of the
plenary indulgence. During the evening the car-
dinals proceeded to Santa-Maria-Maggiore to hold
a chapel of that body for the second vespers. The
Libernian basilica was splendidly illuminated, and
upon the great altar, in the midst of torches and
tapers, the sacred wood of the manger was exposed
to the pious veneration of the faithful, placed in a
magnificent urn of rock crystal ornamented with a
setting of the finest gold and studded with splendid
diamonds."