The national Republican. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1866-1870, 1870-01-01
9atiuual grpubIita1


whom the beautiful Queen Olga OF Written
burg, the Empress Of Austria, the ex- Queei
Of NAPLES, and the Grand Duke and Grant
Duchesa Of Tuscany were present at IN,
solemnlties, there were no seats In tho hal
lot persons not belonging 20 the Council
The narrow galleries In the body Of thu
church were appropriated to other royal per
sonages and ambassadors 10 the Court O
Rome, but 1 provision whatever was mad,
for ecoleslastics not OF the Council, for dls
tiugulshed visitors In the Sacred City, or FOL
members Of the press, all of whom were
obliged to rely for their position on thelr
early presence, or on the development Of
II was past . o'clock before l came In
sight Of the archangel on SAINT Angelo and
the dome Of tho Basilica. Every street WAS
crowded and choked up with the thronp OF
carriages. Vehicles OF every conceivable
description, from the scarlet chariot OF the
Cardinal, with It's golden trapplnga, to the
rickety "hack" OF the Piazza d spaKna,
allied the thoroughfares.
may say good word here In behalf of
the Roman crowd. In the long line that
filled the streets further than the eye could
reach there was no chaos, no confusion.
The returning line, which was also immense,
though not so long as ours, kept Its own
side Of the way, aud there was no attempt
by one carriage to pass another. saw no
police but mounted military men, who were
stationed at different intervals along tho
road, but they sat quiet In their saddles,
with apparently nothing TO do but TO re-
main still aud be rained on. l heard no
swearing, no screeching at horses or drivers,
no loud talking, but everything was as or
derby aud almost as sombre as q funeral
procession. The passers on foot, as we'll as
the persons standing at the shop-doora, a
few Of which were still open, wero silent
and reserved. There was no bandylng Of
jokes with one another, nothing like merri-
ment, not even an approach TO the genial
hilarity Of 81. Patrick's day In New York.
The floor OF 81. Peters was probably never
90 completely filled before. It's dimensions
are so vast that IL has been said that, how
ever immense the throng, there always
seems room for more, and that the presence
Of thousands of people makes no impression
on lts apparently illimltabe spaces. But n
was not so to-day. The rush was appalling,
terrific. Every square foot seemed TO hold il
occupant. There was certainly peril to life
and limb In the attempt to move.
But we are reminded by the notes OF solemn |
music, whose melodies softly steal upon the |
air from the distant choir, that the grand |
hierarchical procession has already entered I
the Church, and will soon be seen In pre-
trate reverence kneellng before the foot Of
the High Altar, before its approach 10 the
Council Hall. The crowd Is hushed in
breathless silence, and every eye ls intently
hIed on the magnificent pageant.
The venerable Fathers Of the Council who
were about to enter the Hal In solemn pro.
cession had previously assembled, clad In
their gorgeous pontl1Cal robes and decora-
lions, In the upper atrlum OF st. Peters,
where they awaited the coming Of the Pope.
Soon after nine O'Clock, His Holiness, who
on general occasions had not the credit of
being paragon Of punCtuallty, made his
appearance, and Immediately commenced
informing the Nenl Creator splritus." The
procession then formed, and entered the
body OF the church. The different divisions
OF the procession, embracing every phase Of
eceleslastca life, numbered among Its pa -
ticipants the highest Church functionari u,
the last 10 the procession being the reporter
OF the Council corps Of stenographers
trained for the purpose
After reaching the main body Of the
church, His Holiness descended from the
Shalr OF State, removed the costly mItre
rom MS head, aud proceeded toward the
high Altar, where the Blessed Sacrament
WAA exposed. At the close of the Iyepi
Creator" which was also chauted BY the
choir during the procession, the Pope recited
the Latin prayers which had been ssleeted
for the service. Other seryIces then follow-
Cd, upon the completion Of which, His Holt .
ness, rising to his feet, while all the Fathers
OF the Council remained kneellng, repeated |
the following prayers
We are before thee, o Lord, The Holy Shirt
We are before thee. kept bNck Indeed by me
enormity Of our sins, but especially met 10.
setneI 10 my name. Come thou unto US, be
hearts. Teach US what we should do, whittier
We should go, add show US what We ought 10
aseomPlish, that, with thV aid, We may be en-
our salvation and the guide Of our iudSments
thou who alone with God the Father and HiS |
son, dost possess glorious name. Leave Us
aoLghtest 10 supreme equity, let not iEnor,
Anee draw nor favor bend uS into sinister
pssEnn, p0 - we aeeeptenoe Of gifts or persons
alone, that We may abide ohiv iStssey ~, s5Aii s
si e,s ron See tIlk 80 Z. -,
Z "a a. Al mn .siSss s'h sSy =" &c
bold fast Justice Attsm sred By piety, 10 the
md that our Judgments here may IN nothing
right doings, we nay obtain eternal rewards.
A copy Of the Holy Scripture was then
deposited, with appropriate ceremonies, on |
\ fine glded throne, after which the Pope
assumed the pallum, and after having re-
,eiyed the obedience of the Fathers, and !
pronounced a brief hortatory Allocution,
ntoned the Lltany OF the Saints, before Civ.
ng the triple benedlction.
During the delivery of the benedictlon, 4
4NAN a. AAe lAAu wv EIlh= n
opal oroEier, In token OF the universal Ju. s
isdietlon OF the Papal See. The vote OF IT, a
'ouncil was then taken on the DEGREES A. Il =
riders Of the Pope and Sacred College - A
sgard to the government and procedure G., n
he sessions. They were approved without q I
lssenting voice, aud afterthe announcement h
the result the Te Deum was intoned by '
ne rope Immediately after, he laid asit
Ia robes OF state, which were deposited l
pom the altar, aud with brief address and i
enedictlon 70 the Council, he took his de. /
arturo from the Hall. Tho Council then /
djourned.
A striking object in the procession was a 1
magnificent silver cross studied with pre- {
lous stones, which was borne Aloft In the :
!ately march, In the midst OF the white !
obed prelates. II was the gin Of the Mar !
uis Of Butte. Another specimen OF gor. /
eous ecclesiastical splendor, which called
'rth great admiration, was the gold gauEs /
or hanging Of the altar 10 the q
ouneil Hall, present from the Bishops OF q
Vallachia. 1
The procession, numbering between 600 h
nd 100, took about an hour to pass given q
Oint. The seating OF the Council Fathers, 4
the commencement Of the ceremonies, b
IhllO the Pope was Praying outside In the I
ave, was an impressive sight. I
The act Of obedience TO the Pope was the G
ongest part Of the ceremony, occupying at Il
asst two hours and half. Long as was, v
1WeyoT, IL was not without considerable
sthttio effect. The lines Of sparkling q
hite robes moving In different directions, il
ome mounting ths throne, some descending I,
ON III some kneeling, some bowling, some b
king their seats, presented an animated h
Gene. The singing Of the LltAny Of the ii
Aints was particularly grand and effective. \
he whole immense audience Joined In the
ssponses, presenting display Of congrega. q
onAl singing on a large scale, that WAS I,
Ardly surpassed by the innumerable choir A
the Coliseum In Boston.
The mysterious secrecy In which the ,
for the Council were enyeloped
to shroud Its proceedings Every
IembeT of the Council, from the palrlarchs I,
the East TO the most obscure stenographer. q
under the express injunction Of the Pope a
I'd ls bound by his solemn personal oath
d TO reveal single lota of the dolngs In |,
10 hall 70 the outside world. The most y
tringent silence Is preserved. Not a word o
Information Is vouchsafed to the public al A
rye, and whatever you may hear, beyond a