The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-07-18
R o hi E.

don Times" OOrrsspOndent--A Gorgeous
and impressive spoctacle-The Canoni-
uatlom OF thS Saints.
RoHB June 29.-I have Just returned from
witnessing the magnificent ceremony OF the
oanauization of twenty-five martyrs of the
Roman Catholic Church, and ANYTHING go
gorgeous, anything so unique and out of har.
mony with that world in which we live and
move and think, II has never been my lot 70
vitness. Ny reasoning powers for the present
slumber, while imagination is wide awake and
active: and thrilled as have been for full Eve
hours with all that can crafty the senses and
charm the fancy, you must not expect me to
take up the pen of the critic, and analyze what
Should be received as representing one grand
idea. | cannot do SO, Tor though it would be
easy to write about gaudy display and trippery;
10 attack the pretensions of the Roman Catholic
Church. or TO denOunce the Pope King; yet,
glowing as my Imagination now does with the
glories of the pageant which has Just passed
away must, for the hour at least ascend into
that higher atmosphere where, stripped of its
accidents, the universal religious sentiment
attracts and unites US all together. IL is SAID
that one man summoned from all parts of the
world the mighty host of ecclesiaslics who were
ranged this morning round the Tomb of st.
Peter, and that one man created all the glones
Of q scene which bewitched and impressed
every one who witnessed ii; yet what could
Plus TX have done had 1t not been for that reli-
gous sentiment which dwells in every man who
ie above the beasts? That 1t is which has
brought 10 Rome from the North and the South,
the East and the West, tens of thousands of
sincere worshippers; bow before it, while for
myself discard the accidents with which mil
lions of my fellow-beings have surrounded it.
With these feelings, then, let me describe all
that have gazed upon with wonder.
The teies began last night, which was the vigil
Of st. Peter; and as l entered Rome by the
Porte San Pancrazio, there rose on the horizon,
still blushing with the gorgeous colors which an
Italian summers sun mad lett, thing OF light,
q magic cupOla, so exquisite in its beauty, and
rapid in its birth, that one might have lancled
1t had been created by Him who said, LET
there be light All the world was out to view
it; and though no novelty to myself, still it was
a pleasure 10 hear the admiration which every
one expressed al Witnessing spectacle of which
they had dreamed tar across the Atlantic on the
one hand and across the Pacific on the other,
for there is a multitude here Of every race under
the sun. How crowded the city is was percep-
tible from the multitudes which tiled the streets
so late in the evening. The people OF Frascati
and other neighborlng places had come over
with each small barrel OF wine and provisions,
determined TO make night of it on the steps of
the Pia2za or any other piaGcSS, return the
feilowlng day. From Tivol, Cora, and distant
places they came in crowds IN the morning,
bringing many OF them small hen-coops with
fowls, tor longer and more substantial supply.
OF the number OF foreigners fear to speak.
OF Bishops there are SOC. Ecclesastics OF all
ranks are said to amount 10 25000 of whom
1000 are calculated TO be French. Certain 1t
Is that 10000 applied to the Cardinal Vicar for
OeTIuIsnup 70 say mass, and, for various
Ieasons, they ate believed to be principally
especially OF the clerical element and many
q stranger has had to pass sleepess
night or lay his head on the boards. The great
day OF the feast was, however, yet to come, and
O'Clock the Church OF st. Peter would be full,
A brilliant morning it was when started at
half-past O'Clock. and found crowds IN car
riages or on foot, all tending towards one point.
MANY q window was hung with crimson tapes
try: the Papal banner was floating over the
POHte ST. Angelo, and Papal troops we're dash
ing about in all directions. Toe Cardinals were
indulging in an hours more sleep, secure IN
their places; but, with this exception, persons
OF all classes were eR route. Thanks TO kind
friends entered the church by private gate,
the PoIta Santa Martha; and from my place
under the Ambassadors lOggla, and close to the
Papal throne, will now describe the scene which
thousands besides myself were gazing at, even
at that early hour. The taste displayed in the
decorations is much more pure and simple than
that which was shown in 1862 at the last great
Canonization. The effort has been to give the
effect of color, and this has been done so as to
bring out in bolder relet the architectural orna-
ments. 1t would be useless to note the mate.
riais employed. One looks at the whole, at the
general effect, and this was rich aud gorgeous
In the extreme. Richer still it became when
about O'Clock the SeTVitori began 10 light the
great wax tapers which hung suspended in tes
toons beneath the arches under the colossal
statues. Still, 1t was fearful sight TO watch
these men at times suspended in mid air on q
marrow bit OF wood, apo swinging back ward;
and forwards, apparently no bigger than Gro vs.
Twenty-Five thousand tapers we're thus soOI
made TO shed their light upon the building
giving to the crimson tapestry deeper hue
now that all daylight was excluded and lead
ing increased brlliancY to the gliding. Some
times puff OF wind blew aside curtain
and then down streamed on one particular spo
sunbeam SO bright and unexpected that /
seemed like fash OF lightning, startling thos'
around as ii danger we're near. Grander, how
ever, than all else Ia the way OF light was
colossal inverted eros formed OF prisms o
glass, winch had been sought Tor far aud wide
ABOVE IL were the keys, gigantic in their proper
tlons, aud formed OF the came material whilt
ABOVE them still was suspended an enormous
tiara OF colored glass. Hanging, as did tbes
brilliant symbols OF the Roman Catholic faith
M the cenIe OF tue nave, and flashing and gilt
spectacle was indescribaby beautiful. We wer
looking and VOL dering at these grand effects n
light, when general confusion eneued anon,
the masses who were underneath the cunola
There was muTmur OF many Voices graduall
SWeling into storm. Laiies were rising Il
their seats, and guards rushing here and there
indications, as some thought, OF the approach r
the Papal procession, but instead II was mani
created by the curtain OF one OF the WIndo Z
taking fire. There could be no danger In :
substantial building as 81. Feter'sj but peopl
do not reason on such occasions, and had it nc
hooV a. OF the fire was eXtinguishe Il is dinicn