New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-06-14
HOLY-wEEK AT ROME.
From Our Own Correspondent

ROME, Thur.lsy, April "a, 1856
The SeaIa Rtsis 10 . Continuation Of the colon
made and gallery at the night Of 81. Pete,'-Ber-
minis architectural skill having made Il ,onear
longer and broader than it reauyis On the firm d.v
of the Aserere all other entrances TO the Vatican
were closed or impeded BY guards, and across this
stood two files of soldiers to keep back the crowd all
the door. Of the Sistine were opened at half past
when only few ladies passed at time. Having.
sscended the grand staircase, We turned to the.
right, and mounted again, and, entering . portal,
We were within the Scala Regis-a superb vesti-
bule to the Pauline and Sistine chapes. Tue lat
TER is the Pope's par eneeilesce and seems very
small in comparison with what We have seen at
st. PETERS, but it's capacity is marvellous in Holy
Week 1t is q lofty. oblong hall, without nave,
aisles or pillars. The part reserved for the altar
and choir occupies three feurths Of its space and
10 separated from the rest by q screen Of gilded
iron cross bars, surmOunted by a carved csrnice
and candelabrs. The space before this is divided
By an aisle; at the right are the places reserved
for ladies; benches without backs, except those
for the ladies Of ambassadors, being placed in
rows, as closely 80 convenient for their seats; and
and not more than two hundred at the most can
here be accommodated. SO You can Judge Of the
disappointment Ofthousands to whom tickets Of ad-
mission must be refused. At the left 10 q high,
red draped tribune for foreign kings aud princes
and below it places for the diplomatic corps.
The walls Of the Chapel are divided by their
frescOes into three sections; at the top fulllength
portraits Of popes placed by twOs, alternate with
the windows; below these, like tapestries sus
pended from cornice, and separated by pilssters,
are large pictures representing events in the re
of Christ, painted BY the early contemporaries Of
Michael Angelo, much in the manner now styled
Pre-. Raphaelite. In the lowest section are elab-
crate limitations Of gold-wrought draperies, in
which are inwOven the name aud arms of Sixtus
w., it's founder. Overhead we read the autebi-
ographies of God and man; there the great spirit
of Michael Angelo appears with the Creator, the
Creation, Man and the Fall, Prophets, SYPHILIS and
Charties-al sublime as truth itself Beyond, We
are summoned to the hour supreme Of the universe
assembled before its Judge. This gigantic picture
covers the end of the chapel from floor to ceiling;
and was executed forty years after the others
these indicating sn earl maturity, and that, con-
tnuatiOn of the power of genius sufficient to over
whelm US with the sense Of its grandeur, without
pointing to the dome of st. Peters, within which
it crcled twenty years later still.
Life, Death and Eternity are figured in these
successive epochs Of the artists inspiration and
only in such trinity could it find its unity Bat
pardon our metaphy scs; We were glad to make
friends with them for two hours before the chants
commenced
Meantime the ladies' space was filed gentle
men Stood a compact crowd, in the aisle, and on
10 the limits Of the choir beyond the screen. The
cardinals entered by sde-door near the altar, at
quarter past 4, aud the Tenebre began. They are
the dirgc of the Church at the death Of the Re-
deemer, and perpetuate tho souvenirs of the early
Christians who worshiped at night or in obscurity
L. 10 tha,r Ia ..i. 81
the chanting Of psalms, after the third of which is
sung the First Chapter Of Jeremiah by solo
voices. At the close Of each psalm, one Of the
thirteen lights placed on triangle at the right Of
the altar is extinguished, till only one remains.
Then night is closing round US; it is past 6.
The paintings of the roof are lost in shade. Tho
gbastly forms of the Last Judgment have faded
into the blue of its bOttOmless pit, and blsckness
is coming ever it all. The huge faneresl tapers
on the screen and those before the altar, are put
out. All the time the altar piece has been hung
with purple, and the cross vailed with the same.
When the psalms are ended, the last light 90 tho
top of the triangle is placed within the altar. IL
10 the light Of the world hidden but not extin-
guished. Then the Miserere began. The ladies'
Involuntary rose, bowed or fell on their knees.
I he music was unlike any had ever heard before;
could compare it only to the wall of the disciples
and friends at the foot of the cross. The plantve
pathos of the beloved joint the remorseful and
penitent tones of Peter mingled with the flood Of
grief and tears of all the others. At times voice
full Of anguish and prayer and all but despair rose
above the others, then tainted and fell il was that
of Mary the Mother. Nothing ever brought
me so into sympathy with her at that awful
hour Then followed the sweet tones of the
Magdaen, cOnsoling and soothing; and if
Fancy wandered, she heard far Oh in the
air the unduating movement Of wings, and tho
march of spirits and the rush Of heavenly witnesses
or if she ventured further she heard sounds from
astOnished Hades in behOlding the Lord descended
there. No human effort stirs the imagination or
touches the heart like this music. The soul has
been prepared for it by two hours of solemn
chanting, relieved by occasional solos. The choir
composed of priests belonging to the Papal chapel,
is placed at the right in tribune recedlng into an
alcOve. light glimmering from there is all that
is seen during the last singing. The yeices are
all male, but many Of them such AZ come from
female hearts and lips. The beauty Of tho
place, deco rated by the highest human genius
the OratOry of the Sovereign Ponttf- sanetifed
by the most sacred symbos-the elOqueDce OF
music, painting and architecture, all combined,
mark new era of emotions. During the quarter
of an hour that the Miserere continues, the house
is as still a. silence. Men and wemen who have
stood for five hours, forget their fatigues in tho
realization of their Illusions When the music has
ceased, small counterfeit thunder is given, TO
hgure the rendlng OF the rOchs AT tne trucInAlon;
but the heart has no need of such trumpery-itis
already rent by love, pity and contrinon. Night
embraced us, as darkness the earth at the death
of our Lord. When We left the chapel, lights
burned in the grand vestibule and down the royal
staircase; we continued along the colonnade, and
approached st. Peters by traversing the Place.
Wright augmented the grandeur Of its exterior,
but within, the effect was still more extrsordl-'
nary. Details were lost in the solemn space
spread out about u.s. The hundred lamps around
st. Peters Tomb tlickered like stars in the 90,