The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1870-04-14
MiStellaneons.


st. Peters Cathedral at Rome.
We have some vague idea of this
magnificent temple, the grandest which
the devotion Of man has ever reared for
the worship Of Cod We can peril ps
form faint conception Of the vastness,
the sublimity which impress the spec.
tator from without, the spleudor and the
sanctity which encompass him within !;
We have pictured to ourselves that
matchlcss dome which the genius Of
Michael Angelo has hung in the soft
Italian air; the irescoes, the mosaics,
the paintings, the marbles and bronzes.
the jewels and the gold which have been
lavishcd on this shrine until it stands
to-day an object which, were all else Of
Europe as black aud barren as the sands
of Sahara, would be worth crossing
oceans and continents to see Bu.,
while we thus draw upon our imagina.
ton, few of us know much about the
history of St. Peters, its Dimensions,
or its cost. For the sake of those who
like facts aud figures rather than ro.
nance aud poetry, We have compiled
from standard authorities brief state.
ment which cannot fail to interest others
as well as the particular class to which
we alludc.
As early as A. ID. 80 St. Anacletus,
then Bishop Of Rome, erected an oratorv
on the spot where St. Peters now
stands, to mark the place where it is
said the remains Of the Apostle were
inferred after his nartyrdom. In the
year BOG the Emperor Constantine built
a basilica on thl same spot, which ex,
isted until the pontifcate Of Nicholas
V. (1450D when it began to show signs
of decay, and that pontiif planned and
began u more extensive structure. His
death suspended operations, and Paul
II. continued the work very slowly, but,
when Julius III. came into power, the
task was resumed on much larger and
more systematic scale Michael Angelo
had just completed design for the
tomb of Julius which so pleased the
pontif that he determined to proceed
with the construction of the church as
rapidly as possible. The architect
Bramante was employed, who tore down
the walls raised by his predecessors,
and had completed four piers and as
many arches when he died in l5l4-
Leo Y. chose three other architects,
among whom was Raphael; but they
did little more than strengthen Bra
nantes already tottering piers, and
matters came almost to a halt until
1881, when Paul i'll. obtained the ser.
vices Of Michael Angelo, then seventy.
two years of age. The great artist re.
ceived from the Pope unlimited author.
ity to altar all previous plans as he
chose, and build according to the
dictates of his own taste. Paul died
in 1919, but his successor had the good
sense to confirm the appointment of
Michael Angelo, who now prosecuted 4
the work vigorously. The plan was
changed to Greek cross, and the drum
Of the present dome was finished when
Angelo died in 1868, at the age of 50.
bn;I. in avoet en-, nc,oraas q. ~ now GA'sts, was
s;ans arS no.s,,.oa'', "e.oau uauoo mt,n Tue ue
saI nrchitont & 'sS,emGI'' m,So ";, 1i 'ne immor
sra;ao ' 'ho p.n,h,o "bo saw 'nlp nc would
1eec d. Dr. " y"'neo" a" ,n '1G Nc ar, IN
p;srn % ;'a.;, @ "pPo'u.cu 'isnTia ana
domo ,rae sNatV 80 ",o i.' suIoessofs' oGe the
,nndon" III ""p p1a, ~ ,as' IonPielee py Glaco'
~ tno " :; Zoo I.,n III tre ny pon,ihca.e NJ oil oex'
Sus ~ i1'o- ~ 1h's font'n was SO
"~'Uuo hn nv'onS " aa'e y uo1e IA ms t'me that
no "a ll'nuou ons huuarea thousand gold
stomns crowns annually ana employed six
nunuieu ,nen aay ana % nlgat' nGd 1t was
; ;ne" ts1 ess''haseu h 'na' oo,ooo pounds oil
lion naa Deen used IN the construction
u sne uohe, . IN looo, raui v. pdiied
uoIn l un na'remained OF me old basllica,
an anu ms afcni.eet' Malderno, changed
,ne pms 81 Michael Angelo to those OF
papn"ei-lha, IS, from Greek to a
rs r.a.ia cross Malderno also built the
iaIaue, wnich Is thought to be the most
aelec.lve portion Of the edifce. the
nave was nllsheq IN lblz, the facade