Plymouth advertiser. [volume] (Plymouth, Ohio) 1853-1988, 1855-05-19
BY ROBINSON 6 LOCKE.

The superstitions of Rome, properly
dillated upon would form an attracu'e
book. Thee is the Scala Santa, or Sacred
Staircase, taken, as the legend goes from
Pilates House in Jerusalem. Therefore
.the Saviour must have ascended and dea-
cended it many q time and oft. 1t has
had house built for it here, and the mar
BILE steps are covered by open-worked
wooden ones, which has several times been
worn away and renewed. Penitents ascend
this stairway upon their knees, only, at
the same time meditating, as the instruc-
tions say, upon the passion of our Lord.
They come down again, by either OF two
parallel flights, and in the ordinary way,
Iupon the fat of the foot. There arc %
steps. and for every one assembled, late
Pope granted seven years indulgence, a
grant which has been made permanent by
his present Holiness. AT the summit Of
the staircase is portrait of the. Saviour, at
the age of IL, by st. Luke. 1t is needless
to say that the authenticity of these relics
is attestcd only by tradition, and that the
Church can adducc no positive proof. One
of our American sculptors resident here,
has seen the remains Of Pilates house, at
Jerusalem and mea.urcd the vacancy left
by missing staircase. On his return, he
rmeasured the Scala Santa, and found it
would exactly fit. The Church would cer-
taiuly be great bungler, If it did not take
heed to the possibilities ii so obvious a
conformation.
Then there is the SAINTS, mo Bambino
or Most Sacred Baby. Ihi> is u figure in
wood, about two feet long, representing
the infant Saviour. 1t was carved by a
lriar on the Mount of Olives, and, while
the latter was sleeping in the intervals of
his whitleing, was painted by st. Luke,
who was very prolific artist. This sacred
brat has the miraculous power Of curing
diseases, and sick people send for him as
they might for Baron Louis or Doctor
Francis. He receives more money--in
diamonds and motive offerings-than all
the physicians in Rome. He is all stuck
over with gems and precious stones, and is
decidedly the most eAulgent idol l have ev-
er seen. lie has state coach in which he
makes professional visits. During the
Republic, and while the Popewas at Gaeta,
the triumvirate gave his Holiness equipage
to the Bambino, but the French took il
away again. The sacred baby's festival
occurs at the Epiphany. On this occasion
the altar of his church-the Ara C@li-is
converted into stage, and the nativity /:
played by pasteboard marionettes, as large
as life. The moneys received by th'
| Bambino go great way towards support
) ing his church. An emineut American
lawyer here says that any society in Amer
lea which should, on any other preten
than that of religion, and indeed, he think
even upon religious prctence', levy con
tribution upon the community in such
way as this, would beindicted for swindlin
by the Grand Jury.
Then as to the mortal remains ST. Peter
l. They claim to repose in the Contessions
le of ST. Peters Church, and 1l2 lamp
ID which are forever burning, hang aroun
lie his tomb from circular balustrade ofmal
III bic. The Church can adducc no evidenc
v that will satisfy skeptic, or even one wi
i, ing to be convinced, as to the reality {
De this pretention, but of course the faithfl
T. ask for no assurance beyond the authorit
is of the Pope. In the same Church, the fl
is nous bronze statue of the Apostle, the tc
m of which is so constantly kissed, has bee
Id pretty well proved to be none other tina
10 that the statue of Jupiter Capltolnus.-
ad The Church of St. John of Latcra
=, ~ TILL, IN, ,,Is,b ybo Jocf ,S3y1o91,
be acas ezten. The only proof is legend (
ne the vaguest sort. 1t also shows( visitor
lis always paying for the show, the mouth (
1g the Well of Samaria, column split whe
ID the vail of the Temple was rent in twai1
e, and miraculous slab with hole throue
it it. This hole was made by the passae
r. of quantity of consecrated bread. whie
n fell from the hand of a Priest who doubte
Y the Real Presence.
he The Church of Santa Maria has pain
,el ing of the Madona by St. Luke. The al
nd thenticity Of this portrait was doubted fl
|e- centuries, until Pope settled the questic
he by declaring it genuine in bull issued Fl
IS, the purpose.
lal Santa Croce exhibits one day in East
week the True Cross on which the Sa
to ior was crueifed. By the word True
nd you will understand that this is the re
lat cross, as distinguished from the numero'
rs, counterfeits that are palmed off upon
sr- credulous and indulgent public. San
nd Croce has no connection with any 9th
,st establishment.
is, the Basillica of St. Paul just outsi
X the walls, contains the bones of the apo
nd tie from whom it derives its name.
for st. Sebastian has large pile of reli
nj Of dubious authenticity. The most imp
, a IDENTIFY grotesque assumption is that of
on block ofmar le, which bears the impre
he of two human feet. These reliev; a
,er those of the Savior, and the impressi
ID, was made at the moment when st. Pet
red said to him, Domino quo vaais! This W
ITS after the resurrection Of Christ, he havi
he appeared to the saint as the latter was pr
bre ceeding to Rome to be crucified with
ian head downward The church is built ov
lay portion of the Appian Way where Il
ep- scene took place, and the pavement wi
me the sacred stone;- slightly raised from
ad- level, forms part of its floor.
e's St. francesca has stone upon whi
ing st. Peter kneeled, and, in consequence,
ave bears two evident depressions, in viii
af- two knees would certainly fit very nice