The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1852-06-19
EASTER AT ROME.


nded. | have followed them diligently. en- a
Dyed the best opportunities of seeing them. h
nd am dcsirous of coming to lust and liberal G.
conclusions. 1t is only on the great occasions i
hat the full purpose of the majestic creations :
II the genius Of rast ages is brought out in a
strong relief, and vou bcgin to understand v
why st, Peters was built, and the SiStinc ,
Chapel painted. They are adapted to a rci-
non OF pOmp, procession and high ccremoni- ,
al. Not circumstance is omitted nor piece
Of machinery left unemployed which can
make an impression upon the senses of the {
and through them upon the absent
world. Pilgrims and representatives are
here from every nation. AMI when Won enter
the mighty temple of st. Peter. YOU find in
that church of wonders. concsSionals for men
of all languages. Here vou NAV see Italians,
SpaniarlS. Frcnchmcn, Portuguese English
men, Germans, Flemine> Illvrian>. Greeks,
llun@arlanS. all, all, except. perhaps Danes
and Swcdc>. kneelne before an appointed
priest, with the power of confesSing their sins
each in his own tongue. 1t cannot he denied
that there is d grand Catholic idea conveyed
to the mind hv such sight The temple IL
self combines every attribute Of Suhlimitv.
grandeur, beauty and strength The amo>-
phcre is as warm and delicious As that Of St
Paurs is cold and rcpu>ivc. and the ever o.
pen gates offer a retreat alike from the damp
chillInrSS of winter and protection aealn>
the heats of summer Now see all Rome
crowding the narrow wavS that lead to St.Pr-
tcr's.
But when they reach the beautiful ,nazzo
where towers the Egvntian ohcli~k and TWO
fountains refresh the air. the mulitul, that
iuSt now trolc ON each other seem lost in in
finite space, and if twenty thousand are there
the church itself has room for more than
twenty Thousand still Ascend the broad steps
and cross the threshold of that temple which
cost ten millions, drained the pior> poor of
Europe and made the reformation How
>trangc SIGHT is before us now The Swiss
@uar'l> in antique varicgatrd costume with
halhcrt in hand and helmet on head. are a
WAITING their "l.orl the Pope" The noble
cnarl" have also formed two long lines from
the great entrance to the high altar. that the
Pope may have room to pass in space that
t would scarcely bc filled bv 10000 mem
With a lofty burst of the Suhimc>. vocal mn
sic on Palm Sunday, and the rejoicing sound
ofthe trumpet that goes hct1rT' him on Easter
: day, the approach Of him is herallrd who is
the acknowledged head of nearly 2oo. .ooo. .o0o
that bear the name of Christ Before the
: high altar, whose canopy of Bronze rises Zoe
: feet above the crave of st. Peter. his coming
2 Is awaited. On lofty throne upon the Shoul
t dcrs of men rohcd in scarlet. with a mitrc or
; tiara upon his head. he is borne slowly for
G ward, blessing the people as he advances
t These fall upon their knees. tcrvcntIy rcceiv
o inr the apostolic hcncdiction. In prcScnc,
I. Of that ightv multitude, that waves to an,
fro like troubled sea. he asccndS the step
of the great altar & con>ccratcS the wafer am
the cup. With stiffness like death, awful il
its silence the multitude fall upon their knee
f at the elevation OF the host, and prince am
r pilgrim ambassador and bcg@ar. unite in on
>" great act of alteration. The soldier. with h;
Il sword pointed to the earth. and his left han
If raised imprcs>ivelv to his helmet, Joins in tn
s universal devotion. Again. when one diStar
f. voice in the choir has sung Ell. eIi Irmn 81
I'd bdc'hnnj, and the words are past. 1T is fniSl
n, ed. He gave up the ghost" the vast aSscn
blag" fall upon their knees, and fearful an
thrilling silence reignS over the proStra
H. congregation. In the evening service in II
Sistnc Chapel, the plantivc tones of the |
c- menationS of the prophet Jeremiah sink dow
ed into the soul, and when now the shades oft
to coming night have begun to obscure the forr
lie of the sihvls. and the prophets of Micha
III Angelo. and the tcrrorS of the Last .Jul
as mcnt' grow dim upon the wall, at the wor
ry "Christ was made subject unto death for II,
nc the uncovered Pope dcscends from his thro
ID and knccls before the altar. and over t
nd bending figures of the cardinals. the bi>ho
an and the multitude, are poured forth the I
ro- thctic and long drawn notes of the lEserf
full mc', "llave mercy upon me. O God" T
of candles have been extingui>hed one by OF
les except those which burn at the Sepuchrca "a
lfh before the anthem of sorrow and pcnitcncc
The ended. the somhre shades of night have clo
lad ed the chapel with every circumstance of ,
The canopy has beer rcmovcdfro the thrc
inc of the Pope,the benches of the cardinals ha
full been stripped of their cushions and hangin
= End they and the altar are clothed in the G
of blems of grief: The next day sudden char
ka- is made from mourning to JOY. the vcstme
40 Of the Pope and the cardinals Indicate
md jubilee, and guns and bells announce
ept Rome without the tdngs of the ResErrect
5 which are chanted within-"Ifoly Faith
his announce to YOU the great joy. Halle
,cb jah"
,,. This is but faint and tneaere sketch
,u, what has Just been enacted Now. consl
-, the influence that all this must have upon
,1 senses of an impreysihle or ignorant mutitu
There is something for all. The artist,