The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-07-18

this result upon you, upon oil our venerable
Bishops Of Catholic nations, upon all the faithful
are receiving so many proofs of pety and love, we
bestow, from the bottom OF our heart our
apostolical blessing Joined with all our prayers for
their happiness"
AFFAIRS AT ROME.
THE GREAT EcoLEs1AsTIo DEMoNsTRAT1oN-TH
MAGNIFICENT DECORATIONS OF ST. PETERs-FEEL-
ING IN ROME TOWARD THE POPE.
ROME, Friday June %, 1S67.-Tens Of thousands
have come to Rome to see the blossoming Of this
century-fow and already its leaves have begun
to unfold. For its art Rome is the first city of the
world and by comparison all other cities are pro-
vincial. Mistakes in art are made here as we'll as
elsewhere, and examples Of bad taste are exhibited
and the decorations which have been put up in st.
Peters have been criticised; but where else could
anything OF the kind on such scale Of grandeur
be attempted or thought OFF More than five hun
dred thousand francs, we are told, were allotted to
put st. Peters in festive trina sum sufficient to
construct large church; and yet when one reflects
upon the enormous surface covered, and the rich
ness Of the material used surprise is felt that such
sum is sufficient to pay for it oil. The church
authorities have evidently made their supreme Of
fort, and have succeeded IN producing scenic et-
feet which has probably never been surpassed. st.
Peters is certainly in masquerade, but it is tho
masquerade of stately queen, wearing her robes
of gold-cloth and crimson and blazing with jewels.
All Roman Catholic pomps have more or less OF
theatrical character but there is in tho world but
one st. Peters, and whether church or theatre, no
other can be compared with it.
AS you move up the nave Of the vast Basilica
your eye is met by general effect Of color which,
in point Of richness, is all that could be asked for.
The ground is one Of crimson silk and gold tissue,
and while the architecture OF the building in this
part is covered the purpose is that the added Or
naments shall conform to it, and not destroy any
of its lines. Wreaths Of flowers follow the line Of
the entablsture quite around the church. or
effect their size must be gigantic; 80 the roses are
nearly as large as sunfowers, and tho others in
proportion. Banners Of immense size, painted to
Illustrate passages in the lives OF the martyrs to
be canonized, are hung in the great arches lead
ing to the dozen chapels at the sides of ths nave.
Without knowledge as to the precise number, it
would be safe to say that well toward thousand
chandeliers of crystal and metal are hanging from
the roof. They arc arranged 80 as TO follow the
curve of the arches, and without obstructing the
tectural and scenic effect. These chandeliers are
said to be all new, and made in Belgium for this
occasion. The innumeraole prisms, even by day
light, produce most brilliant effect, and the
whole reminds one Of a forest as it is sometimes
seen hung with 10y stalaottes. Besides these. the
entablatures and all the. blank spaces are wains-
coted with tapers, and up in the dome, and wher
ever o candle can be stuck every nook is filed,
In front Of the piers which support the cupola
rise eight enormous candelabra. They orc truly
monumental and perhaps the largest ever built,
although we do not know what the ancient Romans
NAV have done. Each Of these bears aloft five
hundred or thousand candles, of the size OF those
commonly used on the altar. But by far the most
arms, in crystal suspended from the centre of the
roof It ID of great size, and most ingeniously
wrought Of prisms; and, short Of pyrotechnic
display, nothing can be seen Of more dazzling
briiliancy. At tho head Of the Tribune there is
embazoned on large scale device which it Is
represent the light Of the world, the mystery OF
the trinity or the glory Of the Almighty, neither of
uaiNA VIII 10 .eoattd aa oes"eyins arry rory tien-
mite idea. So. ....... --...-. ."
lTribunes Of sufficient capacity to accommodate
several thousand spectators rise on either side of
the high altar half filling the arms OF the cross.
Other smaller tribunes, in which princely visitors
or other favored spectators are to Sit are perched
ture. Several ohoirs, OF . hundred voices each,
ore to be placed in different parts OF the building,
one OF them high up in the dome to represent The
hymnings Of the celestial company. Nothing is
left undone to heighten the effect on this ex-
traordinary occasion. The senses are appealed to
with unusual power. Music, lights color, the
gorgeous yestments Of the high priests Of the
church from every land, and in unparalleled num-
bers and the theatre for this display the grandest
building ever yet raised by mans hands, oil ls cal
rial impression upon the spectators not soon to
pass away.
The great Basilica Of Sgnto Pa,ao fuori dele
Murd, after st. Peters, the largest church in
monies. Tho reconstruction Of this church,
nearly nearly con completed. That work Of great magnitude
which has been 80 long in progress, complete
series Of ikenesses OF the Popes in mosaic, ls
brought nearly to close, and is probably the
greatest art Undertaking Of the kind Of which
there is any record. These mosaics are Of circu-
lar form, about six feet in diameter and the num-
ber is not less than two hundred and fifty. They
fill the entablature through its entire length, and
are blended into the softness Of the finest pant
ings. -
with the same splendor as st. Peters. AS the eye
wanders through the immense extent OF this build.
ing, and sees the long lines Of candelabra OF
golden bronze designed and manufactured for this
OCCASION, and crystal chandeliers hanging from
copice and roof, in numbers which it would be
wearisome to attempt to reckon, the Inauguration
is carried to some scene Of Eastern magniacence
in Babylonian days. The brilliant inorustaticn OF
this bul1ing Of polished granite aud colored mar;
bles needed little to increase it's spendor, and
little or no display has been used, but light ID to
be depended upon to produce the wished Tor effect.
Italy during the past dozen years, but mono In
which there was attempted anything like the pre-
sent display.
The Popo has mado new cardinal the present
week, Spanish one to be sure, and the residence
OF the Minister Of Spain, where he is lodged, has
been by day and night the centre OF festivities
music, lights and wide-open windows drawing to
the square half the population. OF Rome. Last
night the red hat was carried from the Vatican
on scarlet velvet cushion, accompanied by men
empty court carriages. Poor Spain has fallen
pretty low in her superstitions, and is TIT to
keep company with Mexico and Rome. There
are about forty Spanish Bishops here, and the
multitude Of priests that nation has sent no man
can number.
So the work goes on, favored with weather which
is all that could be desired.
The sun shines out OF sky Of wonderful clear
ness, and you are scorched il exposed to its rays;
but the atmosphere is not excessively hot. When
the sun is high your shadow is cut rs sharply on
tho pavement as the lines OF silhouette, but move
into the shade and you may be as cool as melon
under its large Leaf dstlling for nourishment its
own perspiratlon. The sea is only fifteen miles
from Rome, and over the broad plain its breezes
may sweep and bo hindered by no obstacle from
refreshing this closely packed population. The
nights, in fact, are agrecably c2ol, and on tho
height of Trinud dt Mon.t one seepsr tirta-
bly, as in the country. A shower comes on ld the
thunder peals with violence hardly known further
north. The reports OF cholera and other maladles
raging violently here have little or no foundation.
but such exaggerations about Rome are common
in the newspapers OF the north or Italy, although
what usefal purpose is served by them it is diff
cult to see. There is not only exaggeration, but
some pure lying as well.
Most of the Romans with whom have convers-
ed have nearly the same way of talking about the
present situation. When the subject Of Italy and
the Pope is introduced, they begin by declaring
themselves faithful subjects Of His Holiness; but
in the next breath, or before the conversation has
gone ar, they confess that both their interest and
their wishes lead them to look forward to union
under the sceptre Of a common sovereign. It is
who arc making merchandise out Of the present
order Of things, could have any other wish; but
there are good many remaining yet who have
not escaped the fear of tho Pope's curse, in
goes ,s about bout Ron Rome ON on foot as have CSC seen him
within few days distributing his blessing from
the ends OF his fngers-a blessing which puts
bread into no mouths, and satisfies no national
aspirations, but upon which the people seem to
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