Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1855-03-14
NO. XVII.
BLESSING the Beasts at Rome.

A correspondent of the New York Oh.
server, writing from Rome on The 22nd Of
January last. gives The following account
Of a fantastic ceremony performed by the
Catholic priests annually on The 17Ih of
that month:
"Wednesday last was the day dedicated
to St. Anthony, the patron saint of all
dumb animals, and with it commenced the
annual ceremony of blessing the horses of
Rome from those of the Pope down 10 the
humblest donkey that brings in the garden
products OF the Campagna. The ceremo-
ny continues for week or more, and is by
no means the least attractive Of The many
which are TO be seen in Rome. San An
tonic, as he is called by the Italians, has "a
small church dedicated TO him with con-
vent adjoining, which stands very near TO
Santa Maria Maggiore. The animals to be
best are driven up. IN front Of the door, all
dressed IN their holiday gear, and often
with pro(usion OF ribbons and other orna-
ments by way of a specially. A priest
stands at the door with small broom or
mop in his hand which he dips in holy
water and with it sprinkIes the animals
three times, which are then considered
good for another year-alter the payment
of the requisite fee, which is an important
part of the ceremony. The pope's horses
and those of the cardinals and the nobility
of Rome 60 on Sunday afternoon 10 receive
their share of The blessing. They passed
my windows on their return, and the cav
alcade was as imposing in its external appear
ance as if his holiness had been in it. and
had been engaged IN some oil the most SOL
emn rites Of the church. HIS state car.
riage was drawn by six horses, with postil-
lions and outriders, all gaily csparisoned.
O her carriages of tie Pope, each dra' n
by four jet-black steeds with costly trap
pings, followed in the procession, and soon
the splendid equipages of the Prince Tor
lonia. Qbe weaIthiest Roman, but only
modern duke, made such by his gold),
made their appearance, each driver with
six.inhand OF the finest horses that money
can purchase. 1t was singular and sug-
gestive sight for any day, when the object
OF the turnout was considered, but espe-
cally for the Sabbath. ] went one day
last week with some friends to the church
of San Antonia to witness the ceremony.
Upon driving up TO the door boy in sur
pllce came to the carriage, whom We ask
ed if there were any horses ready 10 be
blessed. Mistaking our inquiry be answer
ed subito, Immediately and was running
off for priest TO come and administer
blessing. We called him back and inquir-
red the Price, which he said was what any
one chose to give, but not less than two
or three pauls-twenty or thirty cents in
our currency. We concluded to dispense
with the blessing. even at such reasona.
bic rate, especially as We had no inter-
est in the horses beyond the hour for
which we had hired them. TIE driver un-
doubtedy had attended to it, for the com.
mon people are very superstitious with re-
gard TO the necessity of the blessing, and
the uncommon people do not seem to be
any less so. saw very inteligent-look-
ing gentleman drive up in his carriage, fol-
lowed by large number Of horses evident
ly from his own stables, and after the priest
had administered the rite TO the lot, one
ceremony being considered sufficient for
the whole, he went into the church and
waited to have his certificate made OUT
Wher it was handed 10 him he put it as
carefully into his pocket, and was appar.
emily as well satisfied as if it was ticket
for prize in lottery already drawn. II
was melancholy and almost unaccountable
to see apparent intelligence mingle with
such abiect superstition.
"Some very Iudicrous scenes occur in
connection with the annual festival of st.
Anthony. 1t sometimes happens that doI.
keys that do not know anything about the
ceremony, or that do not want TO be bless
ed, stand upon their reserved rights, and
refuse to come up in the face OF the crowd
which often gathers around the church
door and any one who is familiar with
this animal knows that when he sets bis
foot down it requires very strong argu-
ment to make him change his purpose. and
perhaps the poor beast has to go away un-
blessed. have seen many in the streets
of Rome that look as though from their
own obstinacy or the povertyoftheir owners,
they had never been blessed at all. As
St. Anthony's patronage extends to all
dumb animals, ladies are to be seen dri-
wing up to his church door in their carria-
ges with their lap.dogs, which are sprin-
kled thrice with holy water; the meaning
of which REPETITION cannot bring myself
even to write in this connection"
j