The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1846-09-28

make pilgrimage to the shrine, to pray to her
/ in person. Strange as it may seem in this en-
lightened age is nevertheless the fact, that the
Austrian government, instead of discouraging
scenes so humiliating to the human race, protects
them by having yearly pilgrimages to Mariazell
from Vienna. In the early part of June, placards
6were posted on the corners, announcing to the
Epeople that on the morning OF the 18th OF June,
al who wished to join the annual procession
would meet in the public square Of the cathedral,
! and, after the performance of high mass, proceed
smittee of the holy fathers. Old men and young,
3women Of every age, from those gray and deere
,lpld with years., to interesting girls OF sixteen,
y children and infants, collected at the appointed
4 nme, to the number Of four thousand. Among
ESthese were the blind, the ame and those affiict-
f{ed with every malady to which human flesh is
(knneir-all expecting the Holy Virgin to restore
them to health: as compensation for their zeal
khsr sake. With their bundles strapped on their
blacks, and staff in hand, the poor pilgrims started
Ion their journey over hill and dale, singing and
Ereoicipg that they, at least, were jealous enough
bare their heads to the scorching sun OF July,
&and expose themselves to journey OF weeks,
,Xwith no other shelter than the canopy of heaven,
and no better prospect than the pangs of hunger
1gThe road travelled by the pilgrims from Vienna
Ito Manazell has long been the one adopted for
s;fheir route, and passes through many villages
&where there are parish churches; most Of these
Ecolect a band to join the main body, and march
ITO meet them with banners.
4 These parish churches, however, instead of pro-
Sviding little refreshment for the exhausted pill
cgrims, beg the last farthing from them for their
support, or extort money for talismans and anu
let's, which are guaranteed to provide the pilgrims
with everything they want on their journey. The
S,deuded victims can then repair to the miserable
Ehoves of inns, and be robbed Of the little they
fsoup, as all inns along the line of jouneycalc
Ito have fine harvest until the pilgrims have been
Sneeced of all they possess which is generally the
Tease sometime before they get back Their num-
Gent nourishng food, and with throats sore from
singing and praying, which are kept up without
Eintermission, the most that. they can procure is
drink of beer in some disgustingly dirty inn, for
the usual price. At night, whether it rain, hail,
For snow, all of which may happen in July in these
mountainous regions, their only bed is the bare
EARTH with the exception Of the blanket dashed to
their backs.
\ Having arrived at the place of pilgrimage,
now life commences, and presents to the phllan-
thropist scene still more melancholy. The
army Of pilgrims is received with congratulations
from the priests of the shrine, and saluted with
fiourishes of trumpets and sounding of cymbals.
$Some proceed from the bottom OF the hill to the
Church, a distance of several hundred yards, on
their knees others throw themselves PROSTATE,
land beat the earth with their foreheads until ex-
haustion stretches them powerless on the ground.
Others again proceed from the portals Of the
church TO the shrine on their knees, with extend
ed arms, praying and crying to the Virgin, and
frequently pass in this way around the whole
church, stopping and implorng the picture OF
every saint to intercede with the Virgin: Women
cut off their hair and tie it to the ratings Of the
shrine, or pass around the church, beating their
heads against the stones, and kissing them These
things may appear incredible, in civilized coun-
try, IN this enlightened age. but they are never
theless trus. The greatest popularity Of Maria.
zell lies in its power OF performing miracles, and
the gallery Of the church is profusely ornamented
with pictures representing the character OF near
ly one thousand miracles performed by the vir-
gin. One woman, in distant part OF the monar-
chy, was troubled with large swelling on the
blood, threatening death from exhaustion; she
prayed to the Virgin, who Immediately deigned
to stop the flow of blood, on the promise
of visit to the shrine, with handsome pre-
sent to the church. The grateful woman has
presented picture of the scene to the church,
which has already an extensive collection OF
these mournful evidences of the superstition
and folly of which the human mind is capable
There is scarcely a steep or dangerous mountain
pass, river side in Syria, that is not ornament
ed with large picture placed on a high post,
representing accidents that have happened and
would have proved fatal, had the person in dan
ger not called on the Virgin, and been protected
by her The income resulting to the church from
gifts received in this way 10 immense-thc trea-
sury is already said to contain millions, and the
YEARLY additions yet very large. Another
great source of gain is the trade ID relics rosaries,
and other holy objects, which are exposed Tor
sale in booths put up al ound the church These
all receive the influence of the Holy Virgin by
contact with tue image, and no pilgrim will leave
without having purchased one, II IT be necessary
to beg to do so.
Mariazell is yearly visited by about 100000 pill
grims, from the renotest corners of the monar-
chy; the majority Of these are of the poorest
classes generally peasants the most distant make
one pilgrimage in the course of their life; others,
that reside nearer, visit the shrine once a year.
A pardoning feature 10 the fact that few Of the
,,rr,sy ole ion the a banda althouwh nya