, 1870-05-15
ROME.
The CrsWd in Rome and the
Ecumcnical Council.

Hrtten for 7Ae Chicago 1ti5une.
What tho Derby IL 10 the Enghshna1, and tho |
Rssnsdzn to the Moelcm; what tho Olympic |
szsucs Are to the Greek, and the day Of Pente- !
cost was to the Jew; what tho glAdiatosiA shows
scra to tho xncicnts,-such is Easter to the
modern Romnn- The al1-sutficiency Of pdnem q
c;;rrrnscs Is tree now ~ when Juvenl said it.
Rome has nc ipaigui0cant attraction for the
Christian pilgrim either On such oocasions- ]
History binds it with one, and tradition with \
second apostle OF Christ, The bloody martyr
dons, cxtAcomh retreats, purity, geuotosity
and Learning OF the early Christian fathers OF
Rono hallow the city In every Christian heart,
dcspite its later desacration to foul den OF
lnquintoss, lbcztines, and usute1s Of holy Of
fee.
Still Rome stands! BomhArded, captured, and
rinAged tmo and agaiu, tho prey Of petty
parties within, and Princes near And far with
out ita ws1ls, and yes the Altar Of humiliation,
Of Cha.lemAEne md tho HohenHtAufen Empe
turr. ouce praised and dsoaded by tho world,
thst now Piously blessea, or curlously
tuns Hs eyes or steps hither, Roma can still
boast That it is eternal. But tho exceeding
brightness Of its glory Is in tho past, aud no
where does the traveller meet such constant
references to those earlier days. No Euro
peAn court cGngs 50 tenaciously to the CO.'S
9nmes and cu6tons Of tho middle ages as the
Papal. Though the patimony ct st. Peter
haa become insignificant, and tho PontiE'e
voice il han1Iy heard in foreign Cabinets, all
& fhe esaliansy Of ts the nsasg1s re.gns of
ra1I n Fnty1 fha f>@e~ 11nn >r,d -
fancy tho place chosan for the festival. St.
Peters, tho vast basi1ica Of the Vatican, thst
waa reared BY gifts OF Christendom to be the
greatest church On earth, after being the chief
hops Of the si1teenth, to remain the un.isal]ed
temple Of MT and religion prepared tor the
sscIed Easter ceremonies. There Rsphae1
PAINTED aud Bnonaroth rlanued. There fopca
aud Princes le in marble tonts, carved by
Tlornalst1on, Canoya, aud Benini. The lofty
cnrola looms into the air Ike church built
upon smother. Tho grand edifiee deceives you
1T Arst, As mountain hides its sizs and dis
iancs from the traveller It ia not until you
4lreoach and touch, and compare, and measure,
tEst itn enormous body and ornAmon-
taions sre appreciated. When the cheruba,
TO the stature Of colossal giants aud the statues
OF the Saints lengthen to treble life-sizc With
out endApgering the proportions Of the pillats
before which they stand, = kind OF awe inspires
you, such "a natural grandeur usually Alin you
with.
But the occasion of this Easter is worthy Of
its plsee OF celebration The world meets in
st. Peters this year. Since the middle ages,
tllc1e hea not been, md to tho end Of time
t4cru may not be again, such an assembly with
III the seren-lilled city. No empire OF earth
eyer summoned such Parliament. They como
from the utternost cotnes Of the earth, from
tie Hilds Of the naked Eavages and the wastes
Of the Esquimau1, from the Hmalayas and
tic mountains Ut the Sea, from regions peopled
by every grade Of human beings. They know
two hundred Of tho tongues OF Babel,
Every shadc OF race aud manner Of dress i.
recognizable. But further than this the forty
fcore Bishops neither claim nor deign to re
present thctr Christian provinces. This coun
Gil is no cngreEa. but House Of Lords unde
direct appointment rnd SUMMONS Of the Al
mighty, 10 whom alone they arc responsible
1t Is noteworthy: that finally Bome necessit
for the proper use Of the Latin language ca
hc referred to by Catholics ~ cornPensatio
for the unsecming 4bnHe Of the dead thing i
the audience OF tho nnlearned mas Of people
Tho mesence OF this vast assembly necesai
tated the celebration Of the Easter service
tllis year, ut the high altar q St. Peters
though they arc usually shared with tho Pope
Sistine Chapel. Thanks to this Fl: there Wer
10 full dreaA regulations for churrh-goers, VIII
uero content to stand outside the hle Of sol
aiers-
Salntcs were fred from tho Castle OF st. Angel
10 the dawn Of the anniversary OF the resnrrec
ton Of our Lord. At O'Clock pontihcal dra
Eoons arc stationed in the streets emptyin,
INTO st. pctcr's square, to preserve orde
arnonr the carriages already streaming t1lithes
At 8 the troops arc needed Tor the multitude
pressing into the cathedral, aud the Palatin
guard, the Grenadiets and tho. Swiss soldier
of tho Vatican, hle in the broad nayo to u2ain
tain passage through its middle, md abor
the Ligh altar to thrust back tho people fso'
tLat holy placo, and reecEvc 4 few improF1se
benches in the seauess church 10! dogo,
ladies who appear in full hlack arcs
Now the th!ong grews Exsa. s,,na,nns inc prses
ara ssedaciuE the body and blood OF Chfti
msnT IA Eneoling to be stumbled over
1l,e stcps, waiting 1ackeys and chnnbetlai
ofprinca or Bishop. in gAud5 rainaont, aro loun
pedimcnt Of The massive pillars Of tho aisl
serve ~ lodges for tho country people Lit
camu-stoolh eke out comfort 10 tho Sa1o
and the Gauls but tired feet bear tho mt
titudc in the deep, broad nave.
The attention Of the faithful directs ours
madn b. the tnaxe and trsaaepis Of
Iasil;ca Thcre,-bctwecn tho gilaed tol
Of St Poser, over whick the high Al
stands, and the dome soars, and tbs c1a'
asherman,-riso the Fapa1 throne and canoj
Four Trima.oa and Pasriarchs uit on ci.l
side upon tho lowest step; An Oraini,
princeE blood, stands on the right; at
creator distance, filling long rows Of sea
arc ranged the highest dignitelies Of
Church, from Cardinals down to bishops.
1ittlo galleries to the right, soyereigns,
lesser Princes, Ambassadors and the MA
tracy OF Rome are Witnesses. Distinguish
hy lofty golden nitro from his slSer-nit
venerable though not majestic, there sits
throued in splendid state the Vicar Of the
firing jesus Of Nazareth.7
The old MN has become 80 well hccustor
to tho t41ow during hia reign Of q quarter
century that he Ia little distracted, and l
forms his part, indeed, as fervontly 40 an q
can. Tho whole Thing il an act, hAlt pa,
mime, though the gestures are uninteliig
as the dicton to unvetscd hearers II
ropas embrace OF the Cardinals testi6es
the charity of his heart, what does his will
ness to have his teet kissed By Latin ar
Eastsrn and Western Churches, signj
those bexing down md ID worship, ]
him, whether they be cultivated, and obser'
merely the form OF worship, Or un1ctt4
rcae.nts simply, sincere in .hia devotion .
that before 3 cfuci61 OF . Madonna-as
and Ba1nAtas did to the Lycaoniaus? y
lie reads, Patriarch rests tho book be
him On ,lis braust whea he moves, d
Psssa.s PP.sess roho 'oia him, crown as eas4nf ehi. fsn
lis nunanaery, Ill these idlo I
meant, perhaps, for beautiful r.
for Tie thoughts they contain, but bo
dark wells to hide the same, who can T
voiees s sol Of The Papa, choir. Ths distant s
of the navc and trau:e?t, the
els, arches, and domo 1syerherate &
fRao 1Ra sinseis sqpss are re- hiddenSvheSe, it n
Heavens The rising, swelling. sinking.
sttains boar our soulh..alonE. When the
digni.a1ies, eourt, soldiery, and crowd
binc sight no less beautiful ;,
the sound. 1t length tho prayers arc aM
tho turning, bowing. kneelsng DONE. Tht
titudo THAT has rendered the open spac
the yast bssllica iznpassahtc, Is now II
thrice vaster gathering without unas
aud about tbs fountains OF tho t'pi
There they await the annual pleasing Q
4 Arcziment OF esvslry occnpies tho {
and infantry is stationed in front 9
square, behind them q thoasan5
RIGGS; and around about At
Vulnerable motley crowd, from the
boring e0mpagaa and the ends Of tho
Down tao ''piazza : quarter OF q M
Leyond, looking OF tho piles Of tho
rlisee, and up from the hundred ste
1t. 7uier' s, tho eyes Of the throng arc tu'
the red-lined balcony half wAss up tn.
facade Thither, mid tolling Of bel
shouta Of the populace, the patriarch i.
on the shoulders Of his attendants, to
lis ble4Kng over the city, Tho mitret
tho Slitteziag bust and form Of an Oh
EradnAlly Appears As ho rises IN hi.
AL knee! as he raiees his voie'
chants. slowf5 and clearly, s.Benedie
t1snlpclcrtis Patvis, FIJI, ct Spiritus
-dese1;ddt super roz n,anea. se7nper," !"
silent But when amen is heard, =
shout And cries in many Tongues aris