Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-06-18
THE HOLY PLACES.

which now seem to form the pivot on which Euro
pean policy is turning. 1t is interesting to know
the former and the present state OF these places,
which history and tradition have associated so init
mately with the events in the life of our Saviour
There are holy places not only at Jerusalem around
the Divine tomb which for ages has been the OBJ
ect of the veneraton Of Christian nations, but also at
Nazareth at Bethlehem, Schem at Cana at Tiberas,
at Mount Ovet, at Gethsemane, at Tabor at Sebasta
OF these sanctuaIes several have persisted from the effects
of time and it only in the midst Of heaps of ruins that
pilgrims seek these pieus memorials. Thus the
church which ST. Helen caused to be built about Jacobs
well at Schem where Christ talked with the Samaritan
woman offers nothing TO the eye OF the behoder but
piece Of wall and some fragments Of columns.
/" The fate has fallen upon the church Of the
TRANSPORTATION on Mount Tabor.
Moreover the Mussemen have taken possession either
bv cunning or by violence of some sancuares
less renowned in christian antiquity The church OF the
Presentation, built by the Emperor Jnstnian IN the en-
closure Of the Temple, invaded by the Mussemen,
who made mosque Of il. They preserved there it is
said statue of the Holy Virgin and celebrate, as we are
assured public fete in her honor The Mussemen nave
also seized upon the church Of the Holy Apostles on
Mount Sion which built in the fourteenth century IN
the beautiful gothic STYLE by the Franciscan monks
by the aid of subsidies from the King Of Sicily, Don
Sancho This of the Holy Apostles was in high
veneraon because contained in its enclosure the great
chamber where the Eucharist instituted, where Jesus
triumphed over the creduty Of St Thomas, where the
Holy Spirit descended the Apostles the day OF Pente
cost The by which this usurpaton was brought
4 about
monk had often extorted money from the franciscan
Frars by threatening them with converting their convent
into mosque, and one day he penetrated with some
anacal followers into the church, and there offered up
his PRAYERS Nothing necessary excuse them
for declaring the place holy and oonsecrated by the pre-
sence of pious Osmans and authorizing them to take il
from the Latns This scene il is true took place in
1927 short time after the Ottoman conquest The Con-
vent Of the Holy Apostles is in melancholy state of ruin
and deserton Christian pilgrims visit il by paying
small Fee The Musselmen have also converted into
he of he o Of
Olives The enclosure OF the church. in an octagon form
and the Roman style is standing but only three metres
high In the centre an elegant ednce OF white marble
indicates the place whence the Saviour assembled 10
heaven.
The Roman Catholics possess exclusively four sanctua
ries t Nazareth the grotto and the church OF the
nunciaton This grotto still bears the of the
pairs made upon il by the mother Of Constantine. The
church was built by Franciscan Friars 3D. at Liberals,
the ancient church which recalls the vocation Of Peter
3d. the church of the fageaon restored IN 1888 by the
Francscans and which erected the site of the
palace Of Plate 4th and last the grotto Of the agony
at Gethsemane The scismatc Greeks have exclusive
possession only of the little church of Cana in Gaee
where the miracle Of turning water into wine was
wrought.
:. The holy places, held in by christian
MONS and for which the present claims made are
three the church Of the Holy Sepulchre Jerusalem
the church OF the nativity, Bethlehem and the church
Of the Virgins Tomb, Gethsemane We begin naturally
with the church Of the Holy Sepulchre, the i'm
portant and the yeneraea Of the christian
ries in Palestine
The christian communOns vino have privileges in the
interior Of the church Of the Holy Sepulchre the
Latins, the Greeks the Armenans, the Copt the Abys
sinans and the Syrians. The monks Of these various
communions occupy about the sanctuary
or less spacious That OF the Latins is the north il
is the extensive but the air there is considered
salubrous the Greek convent which is smaller is
healthy and more convenient That Of the Armenians
the south faces from the other side Of the edifce the
Latin Convent the Abyssinans the Armeniaus
The Copts have their convent the Of the great
cupoa and the Syrans abide in the Western Apsis The
converts occupied by monks of the different commu-
MONS who watch day and night guarding the holy places
The Catholic is represented there by Franciscan monks
French Italian or Spanish by birth, who by their truly
apostolic ZEAL maintain the traditions Of their
The Church of the Holy sepulehre can be entered
only by single door, guarded by Turkish soldiers, who
allow 70 enter without paying sum Of money.
These Turkish soldiers have divan IN the vvsuuulv
the esce The products Of this entrance money which
amounts annually about twenty thousand francs does
20 the profit Of the Sultan Ii is allotted
to six Musselman families who established at Jerusa-
lem and who very probably abandon part Of il TO the
I Turkish Pacha.
1.-THE edfce OF the Holy Sepuchre composed Of three
churchesthat Of the Holy Sepulchre properly called
the largest and celebrated and which is supposed
contain the tomb of Christ that Of Calvary built the
rock which supported the cross that of the discovery of
the cross erected the spot where Saint Helen
found the instrument Of redemption The Church of the
Holy Sepuchre has suffered many yicssitudes. Founded
by the piety Of Constantine, laid and ruined by
the invasion Of Chosroes under the reign Of Heracus
rebuilt by the munfcence Of the Byzantine Emperors
and the gifts Of the Popes sacked by Arabian, Kurd
Mameuke, and Ottoman conquerors, who fought, arms
in hand for this holy land, all but destroyed from
top bottom during the siege Of Damiea by the Cru
saders The Saracens furious at the troubles which the
expeditions from the West had brought upon them form
ed the project OF noteavng the least vestge of this tomb
this Calvary these holy places the eternal object of the
veneration and enthusiasm Of Catholic Europe. The
prayers and money Of the Christians Of Palestine appeased
their rage and prevented this PROCLAMATION After many
disasters Church Of the Holy Sepuchre still
the character oil the primitive style employed in its con-
struction. II has kept its massive pillars its majestic
arches, the graceful intercoumnaon the Byzantine
architecture The cupola which covers the monument Of
the Sepulchre and which reminds the beholder Of the
! dome Of Agrppa's Pantheon, is much admired
" In the year 1908 part Of this cupoa was consumed
by FIRE. Whether this FIRE lighted by the malice of
Greeks from some other cause ii is certain
that the Greeks obtained from the Musselman Govern
ment authority to make the repairs their own expense
and that they proed by this occasion make many and
serious encroachments The present Of things and
what has excited the complaints of franciscan monks
and given rise the negotiations Of the French Govern
ment with the Dvan, dates really from 1908 No Gov
eminent since that time has done thing eectual 10
change IT, Before this period the rights Of the Latins
we're guaranteed by the capitulaton Of l7i0 In l740
important resolutions had been made the claims Of
France the Catholics who complained Of the encroacb
ments Of the Greeks.
Before the fire Of 1903 the Latins possessed the
Church Of the Holy Sepuchre the spuchre and the altar
opposite the tomb the stone OF JUNCTION where the body
Of Christ was bathed before burial the place where the
angel appeared the holy the place where Jesus
appeared to Magdalen the chapel Of the cucfIion the
place where the Virgin and John stood during the cruel
xon; the arches Of the Virgin contiguous to the
Chapel Of the Apparion and the superb galleries the
north side. Moreover, they held, in with the
Il Greeks the chanel Of he ~