The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1870-04-24

1 iuuo6CIlUaOlo c1uOC1Ou5 OF U1SaDpOlQCmenC she
| took the book and bowed o silent adieu,
| Go be Conunued)
The Church Of st. Mary Major
We take the following very interesting
| and well-written account of this magnifi-
cent Basilica from q letter of the Roman
| correspondent of tho Freensan's Journal.
A Lenten function which I was anxious
to witness brought me again a couple of
days ago to the beautiful Church of st.
Mary Major, of which I made incidental
mention In one or two ofmy previous COM
-munications. Less gorgeous in its decora-
tions than st. Paul's and others of the
Roman churches, it impresses one almost
more than any of them by the quiet beauty
and symmetry of it's interior, and you have
scarcely put your foot within it's door till
you feel the sOlemnity and the sanctity of
the place. 1t is situated on the summit of
the Esquiline hill, and may be reached
about a quarter of an hours walk along q
nearly straight and pleasant road. Some
what less ancient than that venerable
Basilica, st. Mary Majors is scarcely less
interesting in it's history, and scarcely less
rich in the treasury of relics enshrined
Major, because it is the principle, in age
world dedicated to God, under che inyoca-
tion Of His Virgin Mother. It derives it's |
title Of St. Mary of the Crib from the fact |
that it possessed, incased in gorgeously
decorated urn of precious stones, q relic of |
the manger in which the Saviour was born
at Bethlehem. 1t is also called the Church
Of ST. Mary adj Niues, and the Liberian
Basilica from the we'll -authenticated ira
aition, which records and preserves the
history of its origin and erection. In the
Of Pprn 4 Snc hOsrf kh<,v H.
IF the fourth century, there lived Mt Rome
\ distinguished patrician, named John,
whom the noble family of Patriot counts
smOng the most inustrious Of his ancestry.
He was wealthy, and having no children of
lis own to whom to bequeath his property,
le resolved, in concert with his wife, to [
levote it all the building of church in
lonor of the Blessed Virgin. On the night
# the 4th of August, 352, the Virgin APP
feared to him in a dream, and babe him
Use to her name basilica on that hilltop ,
q Rome, which he should find on the NOR !
ow covered with snow. At early morn he /
vent forth in search of the destined site,
nd, after some time, having reached to i
he summit of the Esquiline, he found, r
Whilst the hot sun was shining down from ]
ut the sky, and ali around were luxuri- q
ntly spread out the signs of the glorious !
overed thick with snow. The holy man
rent straightway to Pope Libertus, told e
i'm of the event just as it had occurred, 4
nd was surprised as well as delighted to q
Earn from the lips of the Pontiff that q
milar mysterious communication had a
cen made to him. Great was the ioy =
lroughout the city of Rome, and few
avs afterwards its Pontif, it's prelates, n
RESTS and people, went forth with songs of 70
sjoicing, and with all the pomp of q tri- b
mphal procession, to cast the foundations p
the Liberian Basilica of st. Mary at the ii
A6nnA IN ironr IN h. | =
,igns of many POntiffs, it still holds it's c
tie of st. Mary Major, and ranks as the ii
lird of the Basiiicas of Rome. In front of Of
, as you approach it, along the road s.
I'VE just mentioned, you will see standing d
unimpaired beauty the most graceful Il
orld. IL belonged originally to the Ba- W
lica of Constantine, and 10 now surmount- e
by bronze sta$ue of the Virgin. The ii
cade OF the Basilica is very striking, and ii
insists Of two rows Of arcades, one above In
70 other, and supported, the first range on 81
mic, aud the second on Corinthian col 10
ms. From the pOrtico over the principal a,
trance the Sovereigd Pontiff gives his n
nediction, Urbi ct Orbi, on the Feast of x,
Q Assumption in every year. The church SC
divided into q naveand two aisles by two I'll
quisite ranges Of ancient pillars of Parian fl,
arble, and which formerly adorned a CT
mple of Juno. Its ceiling, which is fat va
d divided into compartments, is rich in oil
rvlng and gold. The original gliding was CO
ought with the finest gold that came M
nh the mines of America, and which was By
ut to Rome for the purpose by Ferdinand Al
d Isabella of Spain. The high altar con- do
is ct az ara of porphyry, covered with 15
'lab of black and white marble. Above tin
. altar rises a magnificent BaldachinO, en-
sting on purphyry pillars, decorated with tb
Inn leaves of gold. Above the arch OF or
. tribune are preserved the old mOsaics, ar
Itch had the glory of being appealed to tic
the second Council of Nice as testimonies oy
the Churchs favor against the errors of or
, IcOnoclasls. In the aisle on the left of en-
PfihciPiSi altar 10 inc DorBnese chapel, sci
'cted and adorned oy members OF that on
nicely horse, aud now pronouueed to be or,
most beautiful Christian shrine in all so|
world. OF course do not intend to of
dertake any description of it. The most sci