The Portland daily press., 1869-04-26
Easter Sunday i'm Rome.
ROME. March 81. 1850


To the Editor of the Press:
In my last ] gave brief account of the GER
emonies of the Romish church up to Easter
Sunday, on which day takes place the grand
est festival of Holy Week. was so fortunate
as to be able to witness the display this year.
Daybreak was ushered in by the cannon from
the castle of St. Angelo, and the ringing of
the bells of all the churches. Before seven
O'Clock crowds were vending their way to st.
Peters, ladies and gentlemen in the costumes
necessary for admission to the privileged cir
cles, carriages with officers in uniform, be-
decked with stars and ribbons, companies OF
soldiers filled the streets. and the appearance
was more like that of a holiday occasion than
the observance of that day on which Christ
rose from the.tomb. At half-past nine o'clock
the service commenced with the Pope's enter
ing st. Peters. His Holiness was borne ON
portable throne, symbolical of his elevaion as
the vicar Of Christ. Before him were borne
two large fans of ostrich feathers. He was
preseded by acolytes bearing seven large can
dlebra and followed by a large number loi
Cardinals, Bishops, and minor esclesiastics,
all in their robes of brilliant colors. The
church was densely crowded. the seats all
about the High Altar and the Tribune
being closely filed. At the High Altar the
Pope of6ciated which he only does Christmas,
Easter Sunday and St. Peters day For a
man of his years his voice was remarkably
clear and distinct. His enunciation could be
heard at great distance from the altar. The
service lasted two hours, and was very i'm
pressivs and solemn-though to Protestant
eye some parts of it appeared puerile. But
the music of the finest concerted pieces of the
papal choir was truly magnificent. The cho-
rus swellsd into noble strains and seemed to
Ill the immense church with its angelic mel
ody, and the ear would never tire in listening
to the enhancing echoes as they were waited
and died away among the columns and search
of this magnificent temple.
But the most solemn moment was when
the elevation of the host took place. The song
as far as the sanctus, dead silence followed
and all the immense audience were hushsd in
to perfect stiffness, which was interrupted by
the blast of silver trumpets resounding above
the altar at the consummation of the sacrifice.
The impression and effect of it will never be
forgotten.
After the conclusion of the mass, the Pope
assuming the triple crown tiara, reseated him
self in the portable throne, procession was
formed and moved down the nave, through
double lines OF soldiers to the outlet OF the
church and then to the balcony fronting on
the square, while the audience were passing
out in crowds to witness the ceremony of the
benediction. was borne along with the jam,
and outside magnificent sight greeted my
view There could not have been less than
100000 persons in the squire. Ten thousand
soldiers, horse and foot, were drawn up in
front. In the rear and at the sides were i'm
mense numbers of carriages, conspicuous
tmong them being the heavy coaches of the
Cardinals and Roman mobiles, gay in their
bright colors, and liveried footmen. The Pom
if was borne on the throne TO the front of the
balcony, and, after some preliminary services,
i a very distinct voice, the immense audience
] rneeling or uncovering, pronounced the bene-
iiction, the amens being chantsd, which were
il In English, as follows:
May the holy apostles, Peter and Paul, in
whose power and authority we cenfide intar-
cede for us with the Lord. Amen Through
the prayers of the blessed Mary, our VIRGIN.
of the blessed Michael the Archangel: Of The