The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1868-08-30
MORNING star AND CATHOLIC MESSENGER.
NEW ORLEANS. SUNDAY. AUGUST 80. 1868.
THE CHURCH IN CoNsTANTINoPLE.

for September we take UIc ioiio"Aio p''-
ticulars respecting the Church Ill the capt.
tai ofTurkcy. "Though the prophecies OF
M. de Maistre," says the Messenger, =" about
the end of this century, are not yet fully
verified,-though mass is not yet cele-
brated in st. Sophia,-still the Cathohc re-
lirion has her temples in the capital OF the
Crescent, and enjoys there liberty but
TOO often denied her in Christian countries"
In Constantinople there are slx churches
If the Latin rite, of which four are paro
chial. The Church of st. Peter at Galata,
ia attended to by Dominican Fathers, and
the Catholics of Pera are divided between
the Churches of st. Mary and st. Anthony,
belonging to Franciscans OF two Inherent
reforms Secular priests, have charge OF
the Church of the Holy Ghost, and there re-
Inuin ti,c.. the Church of the Nicariate, that
of st. John Chrysostom and that OF
ST. Louis, the parochial church OF the
French Embassy which belongs to the Ca
puchins. All these edifices are rather small
and would not, in Europe, receive more
than the unpretending name OF chapels.
The only one really worthy of being called
a church is that at kadi-kenl OF the an
Gent Chalcedon, Oh the Asiatlc side OF the
Bosphorus, just opposite, COnstantlnople.
Ten years ago, this delightful little town
was reserved exclusively to the Mnssui-
mans, but the prohibition having gradually
disappeared, the Catholics of the Latih flte
are now in Il great majoritX there, ana they
have created what they style their cathe-
tlral. 1t is in truth, a very handsome
church and our good Orientals are not I'M
reasonably proud OF 1t.
1t is of the procession at kadi-keni that
l wish to speak first. From the evening of
the previous day, the people We're busy IN
the streets making preparations for the trl-
umphal march of the morrow. AS soon as
it commenced to grow dark, the streets
were lit up as if by magic. The children,
beside themselves with joy, sang hymns
whilst the others were arranging the differ
ent affairs at which the procession was to
halt This illumination is n s0urenir of the
victory gained, three years ago, by the
Cross over the Crescent. Then for the first
time, the procession ventured to come out
into the streets. Through fear of Turkish
fanaticism, they had erected the affairs AID
decorated the streets during night, by the
light of u few lamps and that stealthy lllu-
minutiOn which recalled somewhat the life
of the catacombs, has been, through Gods
assistance, superseded by magnificent
public demonstration. The decorations of
the streets were really beautiful. Flags of
all European nations tloated proudly on the
breeze, and in such great numbers that
they formed i'll the streets which are rather
narrow II shelter from the scorching rays
of the sun. The walls were almost entirely
covered with carpets and rich cashmeres.
Here and there We're religious paintings OF
great value relieved by back ground of
gold and blue, and statues of the Blessed
Virgin and the Saints, neatly arranged Ill
inches of evcrgrcens.
TO the pupils of the Christian Brothers,
who have u very fine school in this town,
was entrusted the charge of the singing
during the mass, and they acquitted them
selves thereof with equal energy and devo-
tion. The crowd of faithful was great
that they could not find room within the
sacred cditicc. Many Mahomctans were
mingled with the Christians, and L OBJ
served one OF them i'll particular, during IL
considerable time near the choir in very
devout posture. Mass being ended, an eX-
ccllemt band, belonging to Turkish regi-
ment. struck up the national anthem of
France: :" Pdrtdnt pour Ia Syric." The pro-
ccssion was then formed and began to
move, i'll solemn grandeur, through that
immense crowd in which Catholic, Mussul-
man and schsmatical Greek, were elbow
ing one another for room. y squadron of
Turkish infantry made Il way for the
blessed sacrament to pass, and quite an
army of police enforced order among the
multitude. Everywhere onour passage the
tiag of the Osmanlis-thc once formidable
Crescent shaded, beneath Its folds, the
Cross. the emblem of our holy creed. i was
delighted to see such houOrs rendered. to
our Lord by those who were, for SO long Il
time, the most implacable enemies of the
Catholic rclig ion. At each altar when the
priest gave the bcncdiction, | felt happy to
hear the band burst forth into those solemn
strains which are usually reserved for state
occasions, such as the salutation of the sui
tan: and my joy was extreme when l saw
the followers of the prophet bend their
knees before Il God whom they know not
vet, hut who is already stretching out His
arms to receive them. The streets through
which, c passed were thckly strcwn with
flowers, and from the brilliantly ornamented
balconies, showers of rose leaves were !
scattered upon us. -Four affairs richly and /
tastcfully decorated, served a. our hating (
places. We passed by the palace Of the .
Pacha who has charge of kadi- keni, and .
that dignitary himself was out on his bal
cony, seated among his friends. so soon as