The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1870-02-10
DAILY PRESS.
CORTLAND
Thursday Morning, February 10, 1870.
Letter from Rome.
Description of St. Peters.
The Ecu,nenical Council.
PORTLAND ARTISTS.

11ESoro' IOiAo'tot- ueIe, soon al
ter the date of my last communication, have
spent some ten days In examining the church
es ald collections of statuary and paintings,
which seem to be the capital stock of the
eternal city.
1 was disappointed in the exterior of st.
Peters. Vast and grand as are its proper
tions, it does not strike the eye with tn = ma
jesty aud completeness of st. Paul's in Lon
don. The dome, perfect in itself, seems hard
ly TO belong to tie structure, but sits far back
|. as though pertaining to some building in the
rear.
The interior, however, is the embodiment
of all that one can conceive of grandeur and
symmetry-subl:mely beautiful.
You cannot at first comprehend all its vast
proportions and wealth of decoration--its
maze Of pillars, arches, domes, recesses, al
tars and shrines-its paintings, tumuli and
statuary-t they bewilder and confuse the
mind. But gradually the diversity settles in
to a symmetrical and perfect whole, which
with its pervading odor OF sanctity, creates an
admiration almost akin to worship.
OF course matter-offact being from a
matter-of-fact country, like myself could not
sympathize with the crowds that always
throng its shrines and chapels, in bowing
down before the statues and pictures of good
and bad men made sanity by bulls and edicts
or fellowship the devotion that could kiss
away the great toe of the bronze statue of St.
Peter till there is scarcely any great toe lett;
but it is not so difficult to feel love border
inc worship for the perfection of ar.
The church of st Paul's, located about a
mile and half beyond the cty's walls, COM
petes for the palm OF superiority with St. Pc
ter's, and some who profess to be adepts in
such matters, give i: the preference. But with
its interior forest of enormous columns of
polished granite (eighty being required for the
nave's ceiling alone), its glittering piasters OF
marble and porpbyry, its incrustations of ala
baster, apis lazuli and malachi,e-its floors,
selected from the most priced quarries in the
country, so gabrous and shiny that N.rcis-
sus might better admire bis reflection therein
than in any wood-embowered lakelet-even
its chapels and altars-have not the proper
tions and accessories that seem so well adapt
ed to Christian tabernacle. In fact, its Sc
we're and chaste elegance compolts more with
some Greek or Roman temple restored to
pristine perfection, than church for modern
worship.
But nearly all the churches of Rome, in
their interior arrangement are constructed
on an extraordinary scale of grandeur, and
embellished with costly paintings and mar
bles. They are always open for the accom-
mediation of wors1ippers; and never come
near one without entering to examine it.
There is much speculation here about the
proceedings OF the Ecumeuical Council; and
from the fact that there are so mary attaches
of the press present, doubtless the newspa-
pers have been flooded with details concern
ing il; but it sits with closed doors; and as
DO intimation concerning its discussions is a..
lowed to transpire, all that is said about them
may uc set down to pure speculation.
Perhaps, however, it may be legtimately
inferred from certain preferences made to cer-
tain prominent prelates whose sentiments on
the subject have never been concealed, that
the dogma Of the inIallability of the Pope is
to be finally and forever established. When
this will be, nobody knows; since with regard
to the length of time that the Council may
keep up its organization, there is wide DIFF
ference of opinion. even among its members.
Some say year; some, years; some seem to
think endlessly. But one of them, in whose
judgment have confidence, stated to me a
day or two since, that he thought they would
get through by June next.
II it depended on the Protestants or liber-
alists here, the DOGMA would be established at
once; for they believe it would tend to create
schisms in the church, and thus weaken its in-
1ueace.
Christmas, which came round last Satur-
day, need hardly say is the great festival OF
the year in Rome. And this year, owing to
the presence Of so many dishitaries of the
church from abroad, its observance caused far
more stir than usual. Nine o'clock in the
morning was appointed for the commence
ment of the chief services; and as soon as
dawn, the people POSSIBLY it were more cor
rect to say, the foreigners) began to flock to
81. Peters to obtain good places.
I went late, but following closely battalion
of soldiers before whom the crowd were forced
to give way, obtained position where could
see nearly all that transpired.
There was to be grand procession, and
had only taken a glance at the glittering
show about me, when the trumpets announc-
ed its approach. First came platoon of the
Swiss guard-dressed la Zouave, in broadly
brindled yellow and black uniforms, liberally
sashed with bright red-and wearing jackets
of steel mail, abont the throat of which was
displayed a wrought lace collar coming down
to the shoulders, resembling lady's old-iash-
ioned vandyke. Then, irregularly followed
civic officials, some decorated with badges
some bearing batoDs or maces; some dressed
after the fashion of two hundred years age
with short, full, black cloaks, breeches and
silk stockings, and a stiff white ruff filling all
the space between their chins and shoulders
others, whose style of dress seemed of little
consequence in the pageant; some, with erect
carriage, marching straight forward, others
hesitatiny and looking back as if sus picious
that something had been left out.
Then came other soldiers and at length
the noble guard, an organization which is en-
tirely composed of marquises, counts, ct i'd
onane genus, their uniform Of lofty plumed
caps, red coats, white cashmere pants, and
polished high boots, all literally decorated
with gold, surprising in elegance everything
of the kiid I had ever behed.
Followed these, maguates of the church, by
twos and tarees &C., valiously dressed, in pur
pie, in scarlet, in richly brocaded surpices o
pale yellow, In capes of beautifully wrough
white muslip, some with gold chains abou
their necks, some whose fingers showed the
flash of diamond ring.
| Two triple storled crowns or tiaras of geld
sparkling with precious stones, were carried
on velvet cushions in the procession; ard
| highly ornamented but awkward looking
crimson velvet hat, which the Pope had bless
| ed at vespers the previous evening, intended
| for some most faithful sovereign, elevated or
| staff. .....
| Otber officials succeeded, with little regarl
to order, and there were gentlemen in coats o
mail with full fringes OF linked STEEL and gen
tiemen in crimson velvet blouses, who seem
ed privileged to wear their feathered caps II
the sanctuary, as did all the soldiers-bu
| who were walking with apparent hesitarcy