The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1847-06-22
Notes from Abroad by Mrs. J. G. B.
MoDENA, 18th April, lS47.


sides what is usually shown to strangers,
| had very fine serenade. 1t is very
singular city. You can walk almost all through
it without ever, I may say, getting your shoes
wet on the wettest day All the sidewalks are
covered with piazzas, which must make it very
delightful in summer, or in rainy weather; but
which gives the town rather gloomy and sngu-
lar appearance.
Invent to see the Campo Santo, or Cemetery,
and looked in vain for that man with the cooked
hat, who, Dickens says, in his book of travels,
'.would-not be allowed the position of verger in
Westminster Abbey"-and he gives curious
reason forait Here is his reason: He says " 1t
seemed to be his duty to describe the monuments
10 the people--at all events he was doing SO, and
when compared him, like CULVER to Brobdg-
nag, with the institutions of my own beloved
country, l could not refrain from tears of pride
and exultation. He had no pace at all, no more
than a tortoise. He loitered as the people lo-
tered, that they might crafty their curiosity
and positively allowed them, now and then, to
read the inscriptions on the tombs. He
neither shabby, nor insolent, nor churlish, nor
ignorant. He spoke his own language with per-
feet proprety, and seemed to consider himself,
in his way, a kind of teacher of the people, and
10 entertain Just respect both for himself and
them" Then he says" They would no more
have such man for verger in Westminster
Abbey, than they would let the people in Gas
they do at Bologna) to see the monuments for
nothing
Now, may l ask Mr.. Dickens which of the
two institutions is the best Is not this one
which let's all in, those who pay and those
who can not You ought, Mr. Dickens, to shed
tears of sorrow. The thing speaks for itself
The only reason given is, the man had no pace
ut all-and he had actually allowed the common
people to read the tombs.
shall not waste time in speaking about Mode
M, for really there is nothing very inter-
esting to be seen in it. 1t is like most Italian
towns-narrow streets and high houses, and
hard pavements, which, you know, detest.
You say you have not received my package of
letters. Well, really / am very sorry; though
you have not suffered great loss, for they were
written in great hurry, as always write hastily.
don'tbelievc ever, in my life, had time to write
neat or precise letter-and perhaps never will
shall now collect my ideas, and give you a
short account of Good Friday in Rome, as was
an eye witness of the ceremonies, and watched
everything very closely
Now, as you are aware, the principal object of
this day is to bring to remembrance Jesus Christ
crucifed before their eyes; and you know it is
not alone in Rome where the ceremonies of the
Holy Week take place, but also in Jerusalem,
and with much greater splendor than in Rome
] went then, at nine o'clock in the morning, to
the Sistine Chapel, and waited for some time.
Everything denoted the desolaton of the church
for her Spouse-the yeowness of the candles
and torches-the Pope's throne stripped of its
oru fbe ri oIo tha;r
mourning costume and Invested of their rings,
as were also the bishops. All was nakedness
and desolation. The soldiers arms were all re-
versed, and all the ministers clothed in black.
There were no lights; fol-. when the Son of God
was hanging on the cross, the Bible tells us
there was darkness over the whole earth. The
Pope was dressed in red cape, and was with
out his ring. Upon entering, he approached the
tar, which was covered with linen cloth, and
offered up prayers for short period, at the con-
clusion Of which, he retired to his seat. A pas
sage from the prophecy Of Osee was then sung
by one of the choir, and the Precept from Exc
dus by the sub-deacon. After this, conventual
friar preached sermon, and then published the
indulgence, or remission of temporal punish
ment for thirty years, granted by the Pope to
those who have confessed and repented their
the clergy, and the holy people OF God.
When these prayers were finished, the officat-
ing cardinal took off his chasable and walked to
the altar, where he received the crucifx from
some one (the deacon, believe). The cruciix
was then covered with long black veil, and
turned to the people, when the cardinal re-
moved part of the covering, and sang, "Behold
the hand of the cross, on which hung the saliva
a.. IL al. u \
knelt near the altar, excepting the cardinal who
held the cruciix, and who, showing the right
arm Of the holy symbol, repeated the same
words, only in much higher tone and then, in
a still more elevated voice, cried out, "Behold
the entire ~ at the same instant uncoverine the
entire crucihx. He then placed it on a splendid
embroidered cushion, on the steps of the altar
The Pope's shoes were then taken off by one Of
his adjutanti di camera, and he made three pro-
found bows before the crucifx, gradually ap-
preaching nearer and nearer to it, and then
kissed it. He afterwards emptied purse, con.
tanning one hundred dollars, in gold into sill
yer basin, near the crucifx Then all assisting
had their shoes taken off, and kissed in the same
manner, and each gave an offering of one dollar
in gold. After all this ceremony, the candles
were lighted, and they formed procession and
proceeded to the Pauline Chapel, which was
beautifully Illuminated-U counted six hundred,
and 1t is but small chapel)-wherc the Pope
kneit, and lncensed the blessed sacrament three
times, and then covered it with his veil, after
which the procession returned TO the Sistine
Chapel. The Pope then gave the sacrament to
the cardinal celebrating, and returned TO his
throne After this, The relies were shown.
among which was part of the very cross unon
which our Saviour was crucifed I, seems H.,
the very identical cross was found by Helen Tho
mother Of Constantine, very religious woman
who had made many searches for it. She a.
vided il into three parts One she sent TO Con.
stantne, another she left in Jerusalem, and the