The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-11-01
AL SAI.NTs'-DAY!
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The Origin of the Festival,
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The Customs Pertaining to 1t.
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Etc., Etc., ETC., ETC., ETC., ETC.

AS is the case with the customs which have pre-
vailed for centuries on Christmas Eve, they
present a striking contrast TO the CEREMONIES 0t
the great Festival of ALI Hallows, or All Saints
bay, which they so immediately precede. In
that connection, 1t was likewise necessary to
refer to the occasion and purposes of the latter
1t only remains, therefore, TO give
The Origin and History Of All salnts' =
Day,
1t originated in the dedication, By Pope Boni-
face ", in the year 607, of the famous temple
called the Rotunda This building has very
curious and interesting history Pliny informs
us that Marcus Agrippa, the counsellor and
favorite of Augustus was the original builder;
and that 1t was by him, in honor of the victory
at Actium over Antony and Cleopatra, dedicated
30 Jupiter the Revenger. 1t then received the
name OF Pantheon, but for what precise reason
commentators and historians have never been
able to decide. The statues OF Mars and several
other divlnities were placed within it, and this
may have been the origin of the title. The
building itself is in the shape of a hemisphere,
in this respect resembling the visible heavens =
the residence of all the gods; and, as the Greek
word Pantheon" has that significance, it has
been supposed by some that the name was given
TO the new temple for this reason.
In 40S, when Theodosius the Younger as
Gended the, throne of the Eastern Empire, he
became a furious iconoclast, and caused all the
temples and idols within his dominions to be
demolished. His uncle Honorius, who sat on
1he throne of the western Empire, was satisfied
with causing them to be closed, while he desired
their preservation as momentoes of the departed
splendor OF the beathen empire, In the course
of time the rulers of the Christian Church con-
Cluded that the alteration of the heathen
deities had been so long a thing of the
past that it was safe to reopen and purify these
old pagan temples, and convert them into places
OF worship of the true God. Hence, in 607, the
Pantheon was opened and cleansed, and then by
Pope Bonlfce " it was dedicated to the honor
OF the Blessed Virgin and all the Martyrs, re-
ceiving the title of s. Maria ad Martyres, or the
Rotunda.
Previous to this event the feast of all the
Apostles was kept on the 1st of Nav, but at this
time Il was joined to thSt Of the Blessed Virgin
and all the martyrs, aud the time cnsaged 70
ahe 18th of May. This season of the year being
found very inconvenient for the great fest val,
ON account of its interfering with the vocatons
Ot the poorer classes it was therefore trans
feired to the lst of November, by Pope Gregory
2V, in the year 1856.
Although the festival was established as early
rs 6O7, it was not until the year 73l that it came
40 be regularly celebrated in Rome. Since that
date there hes been no interruption. Gregory
Nv paid visit to France in 837, during the
reign of Louis le Debonnair, and by the course
he took tended greatly to propagate the Festival
of All Saints. 1t subsequently spread through
all the ramifcations of the Church of Rome, SO
that at the present day ii is considered one of
the most important occasions of the entire year.
IN common with the other great festivals OF
Catholicism, it has held its place in the calen
1ar of the Anglican Church; and even no W the
day is looked upon with certain sentimeat of
respect for its holiness by the members of most
OF the other Protestant denominations.
The OBJ servance of the Day,
in pursuance OF the dedicatory services in which
It had its origin, IL in honor of vhe Blessed Virgin
Mary, and all the SAINTS or martyrs. 1t is, how
IN 6e@ b
calendar. There are also, several saints in
whose honor the first day OF November is rell
giously kept, independently Of the Festival of
All Saints.
The first of these is Saint Cesarius, who, in
the Year A. ID. 800, achieved the crown of mar
tyrdom by being cast into the sea, because he
had zealously acclaimed against the voluntary
sacrifice OF life to Apollo.
The second is ST. Mary, NJ, who in the early
days Of the Church was reno wned for her Chris
tian zeal. She is said 10 have been a Christian
from the cradle, but her path way through life
was far from beng an easy one. Sne was
slave OF TertuliuE, Roman Senator, toewhom
she greatly endeared herself by fidelity, problty,
and diligence. Tertullus desired to save her
Srom the prosecutions which were in those DAYS
the fruits of following Christ. He took curious
way 10 accomplish this, endeavoring to convert
her by unmercifnl whipping and imprisonment
ON bread and water for thirty days in q dark
cellar. She afterwards fell into the hands of the
authorities, and was tortured with such nnre.
lenting cruelty that the mob cried out for her
release. She then fled TO the mountains, bat
died IN peace and without violence.
The third is Saint Marceilas, who was an
efficient and Jealous Bishop OF, Paris, in the
fourth century.
The fonrth' is Saint Benignus, priest who
iald the foundations OF the Church in Burgundy.
5 IN the lhtrd century, and suffered martyTdom
near Dlgon. In the reign of Aurelian.
The NTH Is Saint Austremohius, who, IN the
thnd century yzealously preached the faith IN
Auvergne, and dted holy confessor
The last is Saint Harold the aixth King of
Denpark OF that name. He was an earnest
Christian and the founder of many churches.
lie died November l, IN the year $50, from the
effect of wounds received in battle with ms un-
natural son, who was endeavOring to supolant
che true taith by the old idolatry.
In honor OF these and all the other fathers
and martyrs OF the Church, high mass is cele.
brated in all the Roman Catholic Churches
throughout the world. The day is also ret-
giOusly observed in the Protestant Episcopal
clnn ches.
A Notable Event In Church History,
In England there prevailed at one time a
custom of inscribiRg on the inner side of the
walls of churches texts of Scripture in English
These Inscriptions are still TO be seen In many
parishes. The custom is said to have originated
in q remarkable conversation which occurred
on the lst OF November 1861, between Queen
Elizabeth and Dean Newell, at st. Paul's Cathe
dral, London
The Dean, IL seems, had placed on her Ma
jesty's cushion, as q gift new service book, tn
which were bound up with the ltany several
cuts, intended 10 represent the cngels, the
jesty prOessed TO be greatly vexed, and re-
minded the Dean OF her previous proclamation
against images, pictures, and Romish relics OF
any kind, commanding him that he permit no
such mistakes 10 happen IN the churches.of her
When this conversation was bruited about the