Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1866-12-12
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A Santiago correspondent writes as fol-
Iowa. The lower classes of society are ex-
ceedingly superstitious, and retain the re-
igiOnsSeeremOniesa and absurd performances
practic d hundreds of years ago, Among
Inu UNI ducated each family has Its saints
for raiRand for employment, and toward
off earthquakes, Sickness, bad luck, etc. A
thriving .bnsinessis Is carried on by the sale
Of cheap prints of saints in various devo-
tional attitudes. These are hawked about
the countfy, aud the peddler bargains with
each purchaser to bring priest who will
bless the print for 100 per cent. advance on
the price of the saint. This is generally
done, as the people would much rather pay
81 for q issfegular" saint than 81 for an i'm
age concerning whose holy attributes there
might be any question. All the churches
have saints fitteaup In a gorgeous manner
insidethe buildings, and generally have
one or two less lucky saints outside who
haveto submit to all sorts, of indignities
from ragged urchins, and who grow old
rapidly from exposure II not from the I'M
avoidable eeoRtemplation Of sinful world
The lower classes as rule have great faith
in their saints. For example, if peon gets
out oilwork he spends shout two shilliugs
for candles and gives his saintan illumina-
tion. If that does not bring employment,
perhaps the saints get adecoration of flow
ers and another Illumination; but II that
fails, the saintis turned upside down for a
while and eventually placed with his head
IL. the wall until the proprietor is relieved
from his embarrassment. In some of the
interior towns the people have large rain
saint In common. IL season is unusually
dry, thesaint Is brought out a grand pro-
cesslOn formed and great attention shown
him; but II, after several appeals, no rain
Il. t. l. alxy
stripped of his gay robes and locked up In
a cell till the desire of the community is
gratifed. In Santiago there is an earth
quake saint, who, on day specially de-
voted to him, is brought out in gorgeous
style and conducted through the city with
high State officials and troops as an escort.
Upon former occasions the President led
the procession on foot, but Of late this has
been discontinued. Everybody in passing
the church takes off his hat, and during
certain religious exercises every one, in the
immediate vicinity of the church where |
the ceremonies are going on, kneels in the |
street or wherever he may be. In the af- |
terno0ns the Canada or fashionable avenue |
is generally crowded with carriages and |
promenaders, and It is not unusual to see |
every person, including the ladies, sud-
denly 20 down on their knees in reverence |
Of the Host which some priest may be con-
Veying to or from a sick bed. The Host is
carried In a red covered wagon drawn by
one horse, and Is escorted by dragoon and |
a lad carrying lighted lantern. Every
ONT is compelled to kneel uncovered as it
passes. II a person is on horseback he must
dismount and get down on his marrow
bones. Those In the carriages sometimes
eompromise by kneeling on the cushions
but IL close by. they must get out and |
kneel on The ground. No exception is made
on account of sex, age or rank, and If an |
individual does not promptly comply with |
the rule as the Host passes him, the escort |
very soon vigorously eHfnrces itiwith the |
sabre. Those who prefer not to kneel in the |
streeEare always ON the lookout for the |
Host, and dodge it by slipping into other |
streets with their carriages, or in some
store, lion foot. t-tf fNrv CIV