The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-05-27

The anniversary OF Ct Peters maryrdou
win be commemorated 1t Roma this year. on
Saturday, the 2sth Of June, with extraordi-
nary pomp and ceremony. The two hundred
and ffty-seventh successor Of the saint to
whom our Lord said, "Thou art Peter, and
on this rock will build my Church." has
| invited all the bishops in Christendom who
can find it convenient to accept his invita-
| ton to assemble beneath the dome OF St.
Peters on the day Of ST. Peter and ST. Paul
Five hundred bishops have already signiAed
their intention of attending the solemnities,
and il Is anticipated that not less than eight
hundred prelates Of every.stongue and nation,
and race and color, from all parts Of the
globe, will be present on this great occasion.
A large number Of American bishops have
this past week sailed from New York on their
country can be found which will not send one
or more than one bishop to this mighty gath
ering at the centre of the Christian world
The lately appointed Vicar Apostolic Of the
North Pole will meet there dignitaries from
South, West and East. From the Oriental
churches in communion with Rome will
come patriarchs and prelates Of the Catholic
Americans Of the Catholic or United Greeks,
Of the Catholic Syrians, the Maronites, the
Chaldeans and the Cops. All these differ from
each other in ritual and in sundry matters Of
discipline, as in language; they wear vestments
and robes unknown to the Western churches;
but, nevertheless one and all, they acknowledge
the Pope as the Chief Bishop, and they are in
full unity Of faith and practice with the See of
Peter. America, Europe, Asia and Africa will
be duly represented at the splendid and
imposing spectacle which Rome will witness in
an assembly composed Of more various aud
more remote nationalities than those which
met the first day Of Pentecost at Jerusalem.
II will be difficult for any one who shall visit
Rome this summer to reject such visible claims
as the Church viii there and then display to its
tile Of Catholic. This solemn gathering from
the uttcrmost ends OF the earth, together
with the Offering of the immense voluntary
contributions Of the faithful everywhere, will
attest the miraculous vitality of the Church.
The Pontir himself with the representatives OF
all nations kneeling at his feet will offer a
striking contrast to the position to which be
seemed about to be reduced not long ago, when
the last French troops left Rome and the
sovercigns Of Europe had apparently agreed
that the inevitable hour had come for depriv-
ing him Of his temporary authority.
Who knows but that the Head Of the Church
may Of his own accord announce to the assem-
bled bishops that he Is disposed to lay aside
his privileges a. o temporal prince and devote
himself henceforth exclusively to governing
the vast spiritual empire which owns his sway
A temporal prince Plus Ninth signalized his
accession to the pontifcal throne by certain
liberal measures which showed his recognition
Of the progressive spirit OF the age He has
encouraged many Of the most characteristic
improvements demanded by the nineteenth
century; he has restored old roads and built
new ones; he has established railways and
telegraphs, initiating the use of the latter for
scientific purposes, and he has introduced gas
light into Rome. The excellence which, under
his fostering care, the Roman schools and col
leges have attained, is theme Of admiration,
even TO Bostonians The Papal government
has, more systematically than any other,
availed itself Of the advantages Of full and
minute statistics that strong arm with which
government has been provided BY modern
science What . nne opportunity will be
offered BY the approaching conference In the
utsrnsl City 10 rscousEuoA WITHOUT undGs