Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1860-06-28
LETTER FROM EUROPE
Naples, Italy, Feb. Is, 1860.

le NAPLES, Italy, Feb. Is, 1860.
n Soon after our arrival in this cit
= We visited the TOMB OF VIRGIL
e the suburbs, q spot rendered bot
!. sacred and renowned by the ashe
of the illustrious dead. A visit
e Naples would be incomplete withou
a pilgrimage to the shrine of
$ many worshippers. 1t is overgrow
with ivy, and marked with the de
e cay Of ages, though of abiding inter
: est from its ballowed associations
The CATACoMBs-these strange ant
gloomy subterranean receptacles o
the dead are well worthy Of atten
ton, and have excited great wonder
and investigation in the minds o.
the curious. They are situated With.
in the city limits and are excayated
in tufa or volcanic rocks on the side
of the hill, and consist of long
range OF. chambers of three stories,
communicating with each other by
flights of steps. At the principal
entrance is a large church with an
altar, baptismal font and other EN-.
blems of christian worship. In the
church are three arches supported
by columns cut out Of solid rock.
Along these walls or chambers are
numerous inches in which are still
seen perfect skeletons with radely
carved figures of the olive branch,
dove, fish, and other symbols Of the
early christians. An:iquarians have
expended much time and labor to &C.
count for the origin Of these catacombs
without very satisfactory results
They existed, without doubt, at least,
one thousand years before the Chris
tian Era, and are, by many, ascribed
to the Greek colonists who emigra-
ted at an early period to what is now
called southern Italy. History, how.
ever, proves that they were used by |
the Romans, and afterwards by the
early christians as place of worship
md repose after death. Our party
explored the full extent of these vene-
fable and gloomy sepulchres, attended
oy two guides, with torches. whose
loleful descriptions and sepul-
,hral voices resounding through the
abyrinth Of these caverns. rendered
be place awfully solemn. These cat
combs are several miles in extent,
md with the exception Of occasional
resh graves for the poor, are not
lsed.
| have just witnessed a. very sol
mu and interesting scene. 1t was
he funeral obsequies Of the eVICE KING
f Naples, who died a few days since.
IN the military Of the city and
asst concourse Of the people formed
q procession at the palace OF the 4
eceased, to proceed through the
streets of the city to the
burch. We placed ourselves in the
me of march to witness truly nov
mode ofpaying the last tribute
f respect to the illustrious dead
he procession was led by twelve
r fifteen priests dressed in white, with
'hite wells and fully masked, with only
mall holes through the latter cores: {
onding witE the eyes. The straugest {
art of the proceedings was, the man {
er of conveying the corps, which was {
ressed in full military costume, and J
laced upon bier, richly cushioned, I
nd decorated with the emblems and i
nsignia ofroyalty, with a dress sword j
nd the chapeau Of Major General l
I the feet Of the corpse, which lay
exposed without covering or canopy,
0 the gaze Of the. multitude, and
ras carried on the shoulders Of men {
oncealed within heavy drapery at /,
acbed to the bier, with nothing but
heir eyes visible. The mysterious {
ppearance of the priests, the ex- {
osure Of the corpse, thus dressed j
0 the open air, the solemn dirge OF {
be military bands, the vast crowds {
Hing, not only the streets, bnt all
be doors, windows and balconies to
he seventh story Of the houses,
endered these obsequies strikingly /
oyeI and interesting. The deceased |
should think about sixty years OF !
ge, and had much the appearance
f reposing in sleep. !
As interesting as the city Of Naples !
to strangers, the enslrons are
I'LL more so-being full OF relics OF
i